The district administration of Alipurduar launched a cycle rental facility for tourists on Sunday to promote tourism and also to provide an additional option of earnings for women’s self-help groups (SGHs).

District magistrate (DM) Surendra Kumar Meena handed over five bicycles to members of an SHG based in Rajabhatkhawa, the entry point to the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR).

“We have introduced ‘cycle retreat,’ a cycle rental facility for tourists, as part of the ‘Dooars Darshan’, a campaign which we have introduced to increase the footfall of tourists. Today, five bicycles were handed over to a group that would run the facility. They have to follow certain rules and regulations,” said Meena.

Meena, along with Parveen Kaswan, the deputy field director (west) of the BTR, and some others, pedaled cycles from Damanpur to Rajabhatkhawa — 7km stretch.

A tourist who wants to enjoy a bicycle ride amid the pristine forests and tea estates will have to pay Rs 50 as rent for the first two hours.

“For every subsequent hour, one has to pay Rs 20. Any tourist taking the cycles on rent will have to submit their identity cards to the SHG members, along with his place of stay,” said a source.

The tourists hiring bicycles can take a trip to places like the Dima river bridge, the Rajabhatkhawa railway station where a restaurant is being made inside an old coach, Majherdabri tea estate, Panijhora and Shikiajhora. “They will not be allowed to ply beyond the stipulated routes,” the source said.

From last October till March this year, around 2,000 tourists visited the BTR on an average a day.