City witnesses surge in sale of bicycles

Amit Bathla

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 24

With the availability of various brands and people’s inclination towards cycling, the sale of bicycles has gone up in the city, giving a boost to the bicycle industry.

Now, people don’t need to go to either Ludhiana or Chandigarh to get a cycle of any popular brand as new showrooms having all Indian and international brands are coming up in the city. From Hercules, BSA to Bianchi, every bicycle brand is available in the city.

If bicycle showroom owners are to be believed, they are selling around 100-150 bicycles every month with the price ranging from Rs3,000 to more than Rs1 lakh.

It clearly depicts that people are now becoming more health conscious and they have also started showing care to the environment.

However, the city lacks infrastructure that makes a bicycle ride smooth.

Rishav Jindal, who owns a bicycle showroom near Fauji Chowk, said: “I started my showroom six months ago. We are getting a healthy response. Around 100 bicycles are being sold every month.”

On being asked about the reason behind an increase in the sale of bicycles, he said people had now become health conscious and they paddle to keep themselves fit.

The Bathinda Cycling Group with around 250 registered members is one of the organisation that promotes cycling. The group has members from all sections of society between the age-group of 10 and 75 years.

Preet Brar, secretary, Bathinda Cycling Group, said, “Cycling is the only mean of transportation that has many health benefits and it is pollution-free.”

Talking about the Bathinda Cycling Group, he said, “For the past 315 weeks, we have been organising a cycling event every Saturday. When we initiated it, people used to laugh at us. Our motto is to make cycling a symbol status. After paying an annual fee of Rs500, anybody can become a member of the group.”

Harvinder, a member of the group, said: “Cycling does not only promote health but saves a lot of money that people spend on fuel. Every day, I cover 70 km on my bicycle. I don’t need to take any medicine as my sugar level is contained now due to cycling. Many prominent people from the district administration have also joined us. After the opening of various branded showrooms in the city, the sale of bicycle has seen a significant surge.”