Delhi traffic police launched a 'Drive Safely' campaign for cyclists today and distributed reflective stickers for bicycles to prevent accidents.
The campaign comes in the wake of environmental activist Sunita Narain's accident a few days ago when a speeding car hit her as she was cycling near AIIMS flyover which left her seriously injured.
Anil Shukla, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) blamed low visibility of bicycles in the dark as a leading cause of bicycle accidents in the city.
"There are 8-10 lakh cycles in Delhi and about 80-90 cyclists are killed every year. The main reason for the accidents is that old bicycles are not easy to spot on road because of their dark colours and the lack of reflectors," he said.
To address the issue of low visibility, over one lakh reflective stickers are going to be distributed in the first phase of the programme. The cost of each reflective sticker is around Rs 40-50, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Omkar Singh, General Secretary of Cycle Federation of India said, "I request the Delhi Police to provide cycling tracks for the cyclists close to footpaths or it can be a common track for both the pedestrians and cyclists. There is so much congestion that it is not possible to ride a bicycle on the roads."
Delhi Police will tie up with International Road Federation to reach out to all the cyclists in the city under the campaign, said Shukla.
Winners of Asian track junior cycling championship were also facilitated by the police on the occasion.
