A path for bicycle movement constructed in Mysuru. The City of Palaces will soon have another feather in its cap. The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is all set to introduce public bicycle sharing service in and around the city’s tourist hot spots. With this, Mysuru will be the first city in the country to have such a service. The MCC is introducing bicycle service to ease visitors’ journey and check pollution. MCC Commissioner C G Betsurmath said the civic body will introduce the service by spending about Rs 20 crore under the World Bank’s Global Environmental Facility project. Under this project, 450 normal bicycles will be stationed at 45 docking stations in the city and 10 stations on the outskirts. The docking stations are planned near the railway and bus stations, Jaganmohan Palace, Mysuru Zoo, Amba Vilas Palace, Karanji Lake, Chamundi Hills, Airport, among other places. The MCC will introduce a smart card system for cycle users. One can hire a cycle by swiping the card at any of the docking stations and leave it at another station after the ride. As a security measure, each bicycle will be fitted with a radio frequency tag to trace it. City-based Green Wheel Ride, bicycle manufacturers, will provide the cycles. Vikas Hosahalli of Green Wheel Ride said that initially normal cycles will be launched and later battery-run bikes will be introduced.He said that for the first few days, riders can take the cycles for free for the first 30 minutes. A rent of Rs five and Rs 10 will be charged for the first one and two hours respectively, he said. MCC Superintendent Engineer Suresh Babu said they plan to develop separate lanes for cycles. But, initially, riders will have to take existing lanes. M G Raghuram, environmental officer, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board said the pollution levels will come down if the movement of vehicles declines. Using bicycles helps reduce pollution, he said. Welcoming the initiative, A P Chiranth Kumar, a regular bicycle rider, said the authorities should create awareness about the benefits of cycling. Riding cycles will not only help check pollution but also has major health benefits, he felt.