New Delhi, April 20 (IANS): Over a thousand cyclists Sunday took part in a cyclothon here to raise awareness about road safety.

Olympic silver-medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar flagged off the cycle rally and urged people to follow safety rules while driving and walking on the roads.

According to the statistics from the ministry of road transport and highways, cycles alone account for 8,000 fatalities every year.

A large number of people from cycling groups, school and college students and individuals, including cancer survivors, enthusiastically participated in the rally.

"The ministry is concerned about the high number of fatalities and therefore we have initiated the process of making road safety a national movement by involving various concerned stakeholders including school, college, organisations, corporates and individuals to create awareness on various road safety issues," said ministry secretary Vijay Chhibber, who also attended the event.

He said the ministry has been trying to create awareness about road safety and an area of weakness has been the low level of focus given to the safety of people using bicycles.