Wheels of Change

“The company chose Delhi because it has a concentration of heritage sites and tourist attractions,” says Ankur Bhatia,Executive Director,Bird Group,which will bring Segway PT to Delhi. Segway,a battery-operated transporter meant for one person,which moves by body movement,is now a household name. You can buy one in India for a couple of lakhs. “We are also planning to roll out Segway tours across various other cities in India,” adds Bhatia.

Segway PT means yet another pair of green wheels for the

Capital. In 2009,Dutchman Jack Leenaars started Delhi BY Cycle (DBC) — a unique concept under which he has been operating four guided bicycle tours in the city — two in old Delhi,one in

Lutyen’s Delhi and one in South Delhi — costing Rs 1,450 per person. At that time,skeptics argued that Delhiites may not take to the idea of pedalling across Khan Market and Golf Links.

But DBC has proved its detractors wrong. Buoyed by the response it got in the last two years,DBC now offers advertising space on its cycles. In August this year,KLM Airlines partnered with DBC to deploy 50 “branded” orange bicycles for its tours. Pieter De Man,General Manager,Indian Sub-Continent,Air France-KLM,says,“Many cycling enthusiasts and environment-friendly tourists are turning up to enjoy the experience. The activity has been of special interest to expat tourists,who love to explore the city through this unique way.” Delhi gets more tourists than any other metro because it is the gateway to Rajasthan and North India.

There has been a big change in the way people now experience Delhi. Last year,the Capital joined an elite list of international cities such as London,Paris and New York,which have a ‘hop-on,hop-off’ bus service for tourists charging Rs 300 for adults and Rs 150 for children. With designated routes that include monuments,museums,parks and shopping arenas,the HoHo buses ply at regular intervals just like in other foreign cities.

The wheel,the most potent symbol of transition,moves on.