Green Transport vs Political Neglect: Cycle Tracks Return to the Debate

Lucknow: On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has once again projected its chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav as a visionary leader whose bicycle-track initiatives were years ahead of their time. Senior SP leader and former Cabinet Minister Rajendra Chaudhary claimed that the growing global focus on sustainable transport and environmental protection has validated Akhilesh Yadav’s development model.

According to Chaudhary, the world is currently grappling with climate change, air pollution, rising fuel costs, traffic congestion, and rapid urbanization. In such circumstances, cycling is no longer just a mode of transport but an important solution for sustainable development, public health, and environmental conservation.

The SP leader highlighted that during the Samajwadi Party government between 2012 and 2017, several major cycling infrastructure projects were launched across Uttar Pradesh. Dedicated cycle tracks were developed in cities such as Lucknow and Noida, while plans were prepared for hundreds of kilometers of additional cycling routes in other urban centers.

One of the flagship projects was the 207-kilometer Bicycle Highway, popularly known as the “Green Path,” connecting Agra’s Taj Mahal with the Etawah Lion Safari. The project was promoted as India’s first long-distance bicycle highway and was showcased as a model of eco-friendly transportation.

Chaudhary argued that countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany have successfully integrated cycling into their transportation systems, leading to lower carbon emissions, healthier lifestyles, and reduced traffic congestion. He claimed that wider adoption of cycling could significantly reduce environmental damage and dependence on fossil fuels.

In a sharp political attack, the SP accused the BJP government of neglecting and damaging the cycling infrastructure created during the Akhilesh Yadav administration. According to Chaudhary, several cycle-track projects lost momentum after the change in government, preventing Uttar Pradesh from emerging as a national leader in green transportation.

The party further asserted that Akhilesh Yadav had anticipated future challenges related to environmental degradation, energy shortages, and urban mobility long before these issues became mainstream concerns. His emphasis on cycle tracks, plantation drives, and sustainable transport, SP leaders argue, reflected a long-term development vision rather than short-term politics.

As debates over climate change and sustainable urban planning intensify, the Samajwadi Party is using the occasion to remind voters of what it calls a “missed opportunity” for Uttar Pradesh. The party maintains that reviving cycling culture and expanding green transport infrastructure could play a key role in creating cleaner, healthier, and more livable cities in the future.

With environmental concerns rising globally, SP leaders believe that the bicycle—also the party’s election symbol—has become more relevant than ever as a symbol of affordable, eco-friendly, and people-centric development.