More than 200 cyclists and electric vehicle users, including the government officials and representatives of various organisations promoting electric-friendly transportation, gathered for a cycle rally in the Capital on Wednesday morning.

The rally was a symbolic event to encourage the public as well as government agencies and officials to use cycle as a sustainable means of transportation. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoSTE) with support from the Cycle City Network organised the event at a time when the country is reeling under acute fuel crisis prompting the government to rethink its efforts to promote alternative and clean energy technologies, including for the transportation sector.

Environment Minister Vishwendra Paswan, a participant in the event, said the ministry is committed to working towards ensuring required infrastructures and programmes to encourage people, especially youths, to take up cycling as a safe

and sustainable mode of transportation.

“We can also organise similar events in regional and city levels across the country to create awareness on using cycles,” he said. The cycle rally passed through the core areas of the city and also saw the participation of representatives from electric vehicles entrepreneurs.

Tarai protests and India’s unofficial blockade for more than two months has led to the obstruction in the flow of petroleum products along with the other daily essentials from India to Nepal, affecting the lives of millions of people across the country. The present fuel crisis has also opened new opportunities for the country to invest and promote the use and development of cleaner energy technologies for wider use, experts said.

The MoSTE has already forwarded a proposal to the government seeking subsidy for government officials to buy cycles and make them use cycles as a mode of transportation to commute to their respective offices. Minister Paswan and Secretary Krishna Chandra Paudel have already started using cycles for daily commute.