Mysuru: For TP Jeevan, who is a B Com graduate, Trin Trin Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) System, a first of its kind in India launched by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Mysuru on Sunday, helped him save money. To promote PBS, Deputy Commissioner D Randeep too has planned to ride bicycles from his official residence to office thrice or four days a week.

Jeevan, who is a native of Malavalli, after coming to know of the PBS facility in Mysuru, straightway after coming here approached a docking centre at the City Railway Station and registered by paying Rs 350. Just 10 minutes later, which is the processing time, his card was activated and was ready to use. An elated Jeevan took the cycle and went to meet his friends at Vontikoppal. Earlier, he used to spend a minimum of Rs 30 for bus but now he didn’t have to shell out asingle pi, thanks to PBS promotional offer wherein first one hour is free and later for second hour it will Rs 5.

Speaking to Newskarnataka, Jeevan said, “I have completed B Com and am on the look out for a job. Through media I came to know about the facility which is really good. PBS turned out to be very cost effective and luckily since all my work was completed within one hour, I enjoyed the facility free of cost and there was no deduction from my card. Apart from this, once the people start using this facility, the pollution level will also come down in Mysuru and we can also save renewable oil which is fast exhausting. Really its a good initiative from the government. I hope that in days to come, after seeing the pros and cons, the government should launch the same in other prominent cities including Mangaluru and Bengaluru.”

Ashok, a computer service engineer, too lauded the initiative.

According to SM Sagar, IT Manager, Green Wheel, at all the six docking cum registration centres-RTO, Zoo, KSRTC bus stand, City bus stand, Palace and Mysuru Railway Station people are thronging to get more information and some even got registered. On day one, after launching the facility, 46 people have registered their names by providing Rs 350; at RTO 20 people have registered their names followed by City Bus Stand with 19 registrations, Railway Station with 3 registrations and Mysuru Palace and KSRTC with two registrations each. Apart from 46 registrations, at all the six registration centres people came in large number for queries.

D Randeep, Deputy Commissioner said, “All ready people have started to throng the registration centres and in days to come more people will make use of the facility which is not only eco-friendly but also will save renewable oil. I have also decided to ride bicycle to office thrice or four days a week”. The authorities have also taken all sorts of security measures to safeguard these cycles. They have instructed corporation’s Abhaya team and police patrolling team including Garuda to keep a watch on the docking centres.