It is pleasing to the eye to see a bicycle path being constructed on the banks of Dal Lake as part of the Srinagar smart city project. The work is going on at full speed and with tremendous enthusiasm. Next year would indeed be a boom year for tourism in Kashmir as a record number of tourists would be flocking to Kashmir. One of the primary reasons for this estimate is the rail connectivity to Kashmir which would be operational by January end next year. This is a huge development and we can see a record number of tourists in Kashmir in the first six months of next year. Everything needs to be in place to welcome such a huge number of tourists in Kashmir.
Bicycling paths all across the world have improved the health of citizens. There are countries like Holland, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium that provide tax deductions to workers who cycle to work. In some cases, there are monetary incentives to workers who cycle to work. This is in sync with preserving the delicate ecological balance of these places. Each day one sees a huge number of people going to work on bicycles in these countries. We can also initiate something of a similar nature in Kashmir – like granting an additional leave to an employee who cycles to work all days in a month and so on.
In the last two decades, we have seen a huge number of cycling enthusiasts cycle through to different picnic places and certain virgin valleys as well. There has been an increase in foreign brand non-metallic cycles which have come up in every nook and corner of the Srinagar city. Even though these bicycles are slightly on the expensive side but in the long run if we calculate how much fuel they save and the medical bills that never get generated, bicycling to work or for leisure is a great activity both from health as well as economy side.
With the completion of a proper bicycling track on the banks of the Dal Lake, one can be assured that thousands more would be inspired to take to bicycling on these tracks. It is a great sight for tourists to see locals enjoying themselves on these cycling tracks. One must congratulate the local government for steps like these. These developments are of tremendous significance in the long run.
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