Explore New Town on two wheels

Wide tree-lined roads interspersed with swanky Manhattan-style high-rises lend a look and feel to New Town that is unlike anywhere else in Kolkata. Dotted with commercial hubs, eateries, co-working spaces and go-to spots such as Eco Park, Biswa Bangla Gate, Eco Urban Village and New Town Zoo, this neighbourhood, unlike most parts of the city, is expansive — with lots of ground to cover.

While private vehicles and hired cabs are always options to get around, there is another means of travelling through New Town which perfectly suits its edgy, out-of-the-box vibes. Hiring bicycles through a simple mobile app. It wins hands down, especially among the young, health-and-environmentally conscientious crowd. 

Here, one can just walk into one of the many dedicated bicycle parking zones and take a bike for rent. Dedicated cycling bays line the streets of the neighbourhood to help make the ride less chaotic. For visitors, expats and even residents these bicycles offer an immersive travel experience as well as last-mile connectivity minus the hassles of parking fees and traffic snarls.

New Town was constructed with space in mind. Being the newest part of the city, planners and architects could put thought into its design unlike the older parts of Kolkata. The presence of broad roads, median dividers, boulevards, dedicated public spaces and parks make it ideal for people to use bicycles both as a means of connectivity as well as recreation.

No surprise then, the idea of a bicycle-sharing scheme — where one can rent a bicycle from a public docking area and return it at any other docking area by using a mobile app — was welcomed enthusiastically when it was first introduced back in 2017. 

While the app-based aggregator stopped its operations due to several issues in 2019, public demand and business opportunities made the Ahmedabad-based company that runs the bicycle sharing scheme in New Town reintroduce the scheme in 2020. The initiative by the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) started small, with 100 bikes stationed at five docking zones but in 2025, however, the number of bicycles available for rent increased to 300, whilst the number of docking stations also grew significantly.

This bicycle sharing scheme runs 24x7, attracting riders at all hours — from early-morning joggers to night-shift professionals and travellers returning late from dinner.

What makes this bicycle-sharing system especially appealing for visitors is its effortlessness and simplicity. From the Biswa Bangla Gate, cyclists can cruise down to Eco Park, a 430-acre park that has an expansive waterbody in the middle. The ride in itself is scenic, with wide stretches of greenery and water bodies along the way.

After visiting Eco Park, one can cycle down to the Mother's Wax Museum, the Aircraft Museum or the New Town Zoo. Another short hop will take one to the Eco Urban Village and the expansive grasslands near the Owl More intersection where one can spot birds including winter migrants during this time of the year.

For shopping and dining, cyclists can head towards Axis Mall, City Centre II, or the cafés and restaurants dotting Action Areas I and II. Evening rides here are particularly enjoyable, with well-lit roads and a relaxed, cosmopolitan vibe.

Or else one can pedal towards community areas like the New Town Clock Tower, waterfront stretch near the New Town Bisarjan (Immersion) Ghat and neighbourhood plazas — perfect for a sunset pause or a coffee break.

Visitors will find docking stations located across all the three Action Areas of New Town. The popular stands are located near the Biswa Bangla Gate, New Town bus terminus, the Eco Urban Village and in front of the Ohio Hospital. These hubs make it easy to plan short hops or longer exploratory rides across the township.

The bicycle rental system is designed to be pocket friendly and easy to use. Short rides are extremely economical: the first 30 minutes cost Rs 1.18, whilst rides between 31 and 59 minutes are charged Rs 5.90. Beyond that, the pricing follows multiple time-based slabs.

For longer usage, a 16- to 24-hour ride costs Rs 826, whilst keeping a cycle beyond 24 hours attracts a significantly higher charge of Rs 5,900 — encouraging timely returns and efficient circulation.

To get started, users simply need to register on the Chartered Bikes mobile app and first deposit Rs 300 into their account. They can then walk into any docking station and use their phone to scan a code pasted on a bike and unlock it. At the time of deposit they need to park the bike at any other docking station and choose the end ride option. The charges for the ride will get deducted automatically from the wallet balance.
 

Fact Check

Name of app: Chartered Bike (on Google Play Store)
Minimum deposit: Rs 300
Stands: Across New Town (near the Biswa Bangla Gate, New Town bus terminus, Eco Urban Village and Ohio Hospital, etc.)
Availability: 24x7
Payment mode: Cashless, wallets and UPI only