Mumbai, Maharashtra [India], July 29: In an endeavour to adopt sustainability and ensure their wellbeing, residents of Mumbai’s societies in Lokhandwala, Oshiwara, Versova and Andheri are adopting MYBYK’s bicycle-sharing service. MYBYK sets up an automated bicycle hub in the townships, and people can get bicycles on rent through the MYBYK mobile app. One can also subscribe to MYBYK bicycles under hourly, weekly, monthly or long-term plans.
The development comes amid COVID-19 that has made people conscious of their choices with respect to what they buy, consume or use. The pandemic has also heralded a shift towards more sustainable and greener lifestyle choices, including sustainable means to commute.
While Mumbai is growing rapidly, traffic, congestion, gridlock and pollution are becoming key concerns. This development is part of Mumbaikars’ endeavour to begin small but incremental lifestyle changes towards making the city more sustainable and ensure their wellness.
One of the early adopters is the Serenity Complex in the Oshiwara area. When asked why adopting MYBYK, the secretary of the society quotes, “As we venture out and look for alternatives to stay healthy or commute in an eco-friendly manner, we zeroed in on cycling as the most sustainable and practical solution. Whether you pick this up as a routine, a health and leisure activity, or to protect the environment, it confers umpteen benefits.
Amid COVID, this initiative allows people to avail health benefits of cycling without leaving any carbon footprint. Buying a cycle is a costly affair, and its maintenance also involves a lot of hassles. The motivation to cycle drops when you have to take care of that punctured wheel or a skipped bike chain. MYBYK takes care of the repair and maintenance hassle, so the users don’t need to bear it. All they need to do is replace the bike at the Hub. Societies think MYBYK is a better option because they don’t have to take care of the unused cycles lying in their vicinity.
MYBYK promotes the idea of “short commutes on the bike”. Arjit Soni, the founder of MYBYK, said: “We are enthused by the overwhelming response from residential societies in Mumbai. MYBYK bicycles are an affordable, convenient and hassle-free alternative to embracing wellness and spending time in the company of Nature. It mitigates carbon footprint and sensitizes the community of their responsibility towards the environment.”
At a society and community level, promoting and facilitating cycling unlocks long-term health benefits reduces carbon footprint and promotes sustainable living. It’s a demonstration of social responsibility and a critical step towards making our cities more liveable for generations to come.
MYBYK is India’s largest and most successful premium bicycle-sharing service aimed at encouraging the use of bicycles and public transport as a sustainable mobility solution. It was founded in 2014 by Arjit Soni, a chartered accountant. The idea was born out of his struggles connecting the first and last mile while using Mumbai locals. MYBYK has pioneered the concept of shared mobility in an endeavour to make an outdoor experience more lively, diverse, and healthy and usher in a ‘green’ future for generations to come.
As of date, the company boasts of a total fleet size of 6000+ cycles spread across Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Udaipur & Rajkot. Some of its prominent projects include Ahmedabad Smart City PBS, Mumbai Metro Bicycle Feeder Service, Reliance Industries Limited (Jamnagar Refinery), ISRO (SAC Campus).
Divya Agarwal
