Around 1,000 women workers of various factories have shown their interest to use cycles for commuting from their houses to factories.
As per a report of Deccan Herald, leading English daily, it all started with few women workers of garment factories, who by using cycle, tried to save Rs. 600 to Rs. 900 per month for transport services.
Garment Labours Union (GLU) and Greenpeace India are supporting this initiative.
Rukmini VP, President, GLU says that 40 to 50 workers from 20 garment factories have expressed an interest to cycle to work. “We held a meeting at the beginning of this year to discuss measures to cut cost and many expressed willingness to cycle to work to save travel expenses,” she said.
Workers of garment factories normally earn between Rs. 9,000 and Rs. 12,500 per month, so saving Rs. 600 to Rs. 900 is big for them. There are around one lakh garment workers in Bengaluru.
Annapurna, a garment worker from Doddabidarakallu, who commutes to a factory in Peenya Industrial Area, said she has been cycling for the last two months. “After the first two weeks, I got used to the physical strain. I am part of the skeletal staff working during the lockdown and I feel the roads have more space for bicycles now compared to April,” she said.
With 1,000 workers commuting to cycle, Greenpeace India jumped into the project.
Avinash Chanchal, senior climate campaigner at Greenpeace India, says, “On a pilot basis, we have given six new bicycles over the last few months. We hope to provide 5,000 bicycles and plan to approach different entities, including the Government.”