Hyderabad to boast of solar-roof cycle track along ORR by next year

HYDERABAD: In about a year's time, Hyderabad will be boasting of a world-class cycle track with a solar roof stretching upto 23 km along its Outer Ring Road (ORR). In an attempt to utilise the 160-km Outer Ring Road (ORR), the Telangana Government is setting up this prestigious facility for which Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao laid foundation stone at Nanakramguda on Tuesday.

In the first phase, the 4.5-metre wide solar-roof cycle track will be laid upto a distance of 23 km. The track will be built along the service road of the ORR. The solar roof would have a capacity to generate 16 MW. HMDA aims at making the facility ready for use by summer of 2023.

The construction of the first-phase track will be taken up in two parts – 8.5 km from Nanakramguda to Telangana Police Academy and 14.5 km from Narsingi to Kollur.

KTR said, "We wanted to promote environmentally friendly motor transport around the city and a friend from South Korea suggested a cycling track, so we took it up. It would be good if people in the IT corridor could go to the office by cycling. We have set up a demo track of 50 m and people can also rent cycles here. Safety grills are being installed so that the regular traffic does not disturb the track. A track is also being set up here to host international cycling tournaments. There were many requests to include a cycling option in metros which are also being considered."

He announced that in the second phase, 46-km cycling track and resorts would be created around Gandipet, Vikarabad and other areas under the GHMC limits.