Rise in incidents of theft, removal of spares, abandoning bicycles among other mischievous behaviours cause for concern

Mysuru: The eco-friendly MyByk Trin Trin, the battery-operated Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) system that has gained popularity as a green mode of transportation in the city, is now facing a serious threat.

With 11,323 lifetime users and over 500 bicycles available at 48 docking stations across key locations like the Old Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Railway Station and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa Circle, the demand for these bicycles has surged.

Rising incidents of vandalism

However, incidents of vandalism and theft are spiralling out of control. Some users have been damaging and abandoning the bicycles at random locations, stealing Bluetooth-equipped lockers, slashing triple-seat cushions, cutting headlight wires and breaking stands and brakes.

This reckless behaviour has become a major headache for service providers, with 20 to 25 bicycles being found damaged every day, leaving them with no choice but to continuously repair the vandalised bikes.

Growing users amid fuel hikes

With rising fuel prices, a growing number of people are choosing bicycles for short commutes to work, while joggers opt to cycle for fitness, and tourists prefer the flexibility of exploring the city at their own pace.

Thefts on the rise

So far, over 10 bicycles have been reported stolen. One person was caught red-handed while attempting to transport a bicycle from Mysuru to Pandavapura and was handed over to the police.

In another case, a woman, caught trying to steal a bicycle, shamelessly repeated the act without fear, lamented R. Yashwanth, City Manager of MyByk, while sharing his concerns with Star of Mysore.

Mobile locker facility removed

Initially, the service included mobile lockers for users to access route maps on the go. However, frequent thefts of these lockers forced their removal.

Headlights, installed for night riders, have also been tampered with, as some users have cut the wires. Repairing these requires dismantling the entire bicycle, a tedious process, leading the team to stop addressing such extensive damages. Even the GPS units on battery-operated bicycles aren’t spared, with some vandals making off with the Bluetooth devices connected to the system. Bicycle stands, bells and seat adjustment nuts are frequently stolen and stickers are being defaced, explained Yashwanth.

Dasara surge

During the recent Dasara, the bicycle service saw great demand, especially from tourists. However, Yashwanth urged registered users to prevent children from using the service, as they may not know how to handle the bicycles. He also noted that drunk users have been particularly destructive, further damaging the bikes.