Mumbai, Jun 6 (NDTV): Seeking to promote eco-friendly and economical mode of commuting on World Environment Day, over 600 cyclists in Mumbai launched an initiative to encourage people to use bicycles for going to work by riding up to the central business district of Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

"We have been using bicycles for leisure or as a sport but we think there is a need to use it more for your commute, starting with cycling to work," Vijayshree Pednekar, a transport planner, who is behind the project, told PTI.

From now on, the 'Project Cycle2Work' will be concentrating on corporates to raise funds for a smart commute application on the lines of Stepathlon for walking, which will help encourage their employees to cycle to work, Ms Pednekar said.

The cyclists rode to the BKC from seven pre-decided routes for the special initiative, which coincided with the World Environment Day.

"It was a very successful ride and now people want us to have such events every month," said Firoza Suresh, another organiser.

Stating that promoting cycling does not require huge resources like any other mega infra projects, Pednekar stressed on the need to have bike sharing programmes where bicycles can be hired from special stations.

Suresh said Maharashtra Environment Minister Ramdas Kadam, who was present at the event, is very keen to understand issues concerning the cycling community and has promised all help as people taking to cycling will help reduce pollution and make them fit as well.

For the next year, Suresh said many corporates have already evinced interest to support such initiatives and the project would focus on having multiple places across the city where cyclists could converge.