Bengaluru: In a move that the city fathers hope will take the pressure off the city's traffic clogged streets and connect key parts of the city that do not have metro connectivity, the BBMP is going ahead with the path-breaking move to introduce ‘pod taxis’ to the IT capital, making it the first Indian city to have such a facility. The only other urban centre that has announced plans to have pod taxis is Gurugram.
Sailing over potholes: BBMP calls for tenders for pod taxis
The BBMP, struggling to keep the city free of 'killer potholes' and manage garbage, invited bids for starting 'pod taxis' in the city, K.J. George, minister in charge of the city tweeted on Monday. For the uninitiated, pod taxis are small automated vehicles operating in a network of guideways, much like a cable car. On Monday, the BBMP invited global tenders for the project under Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis under Public Private Partnership (PPP).
If this project becomes a reality, you can travel in pod taxis along six routes-from Marathahalli to Graphite India Road, from Trinity circle till HSR Layout, from Jayanagar 5th block to JP Nagar 6th phase, from Sony Signal to Indiranagar, from Trinity to Leela Palace on Old Airport Road.
A BBMP engineer, who did not wish to be named, defended the project, saying, "Pod taxis will be the future. Many developed countries have it. For a city which is brimming with over one crore population, we can make pod taxis affordable to the masses. According to our initial estimates, the project will cost Rs 50 crore per kilometre and can be completed in two years."
Mr Sridhar Pabbisetty, CEO, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, said however, "When the city is struggling with basic infrastructure like pothole-free roads and encroachment-free and sewage-free lakes, the attempt to invest in pod taxis and helipads seems unrealistic. The city should strive hard to ensure we no longer have potholes and rain-related deaths. The city needs a multi-modal mobility plan than the disconnected pod taxis. For over a decade, citizens are demanding suburban rail which will ensure connectivity. The irony is that the suburban rail plan has fallen on deaf ears, while the BBMP is gearing up for pod taxis."
