Dimapur, July 28 (EMN): Kohima has been ranked among 11 cities with the prestigious title of being India’s top 11 cycling pioneers.
The top 11 winning cities was announced online by the secretary of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Durga Shankar Mishra, on July 28 attended by officials from central and state governments and other stakeholders from all cities participating in India Cycles4Change Challenge, informed joint CEO of Kohima Smart City Development Limited, Avelu Ruho on Wednesday.
The event also marked the release of the first challenge report and an online exhibition showcasing cities' cycling journey. The ministry also announced the second season of the challenge beginning in August 2021, wherein fresh applications would be invited from all smart cities, capital cities of states/ UTs and cities with a population of over five lakh.
The award marked the start of the next stage of the first season of India Cycles4Change Challenge where 107 cities across the country came together to test, learn, and scale up different cycling-friendly initiatives, kick-starting India’s cycling revolution.
From the top 25 cities that were shortlisted earlier this year, a jury of renowned national and international transport experts selected the top 11 cities, which would receive an award of INR 1 crore each to scale up their cycling initiatives.
It mentioned that the Cycle4Change challenge was launched on June 25, 2020, for all the 100 smart cities and the capital cities of India.
Meanwhile, the KSCDL has thanked all stakeholders and citizens for their support and especially the cycling community for their zeal and passion for cycling and the tireless efforts put into making the intervention possible in Kohima city. The achievement has proved that cycling is not only possible in a hilly city but a small city in Northeast India could also make it to the top 11 cities among 107 cities, which participated in the challenge, the statement added.
The top 11 award recipients
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana
Kohima, Nagaland
Nagpur, Maharashtra
New Town Kolkata, West Bengal
Pimpri Chinchwad, Maharashtra
Rajkot, Gujarat
Surat, Gujarat
Vadodara, Gujarat
Warangal, Telangana