Bangalore's civic body wants to run pod taxis in the city

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is currently mulling over its plans to start pod taxis in the city. The corporation has even decided six stretches where the pod taxi concept can be implemented, totalling to a coverage area of up to 35.5 km.

Pod taxis are a part of the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, which provides on-demand, origin to destination transportation. The concept features automated cable cars that run on a network of dedicated guide ways. They are designed to carry a small group of passengers for small distances. Bangalore's civic body has planned that this network will be powered by solar energy and will have a cumulative carrying capacity of 15,000 people per hour.

BBMP will soon float an expression of interest to companies in order to receive proposals for the said project. This information was revealed by the municipal commissioner of the city - Mr. N Manjunath Prasad. Additionally, the project is said to adopt a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model, which will help in avoiding any public expenditure.

The civic body is planning to implement its pod taxi project in a phased manner. The following are the different phases that have been conceptualised at the moment:

• Phase 1 - MG Road Metro Station to The Leela Palace junction - 4 km

• Phase 2 - The Leela Palace to Marathahalli junction - 6 km

• Phase 3 - Marathahalli junction to EPIP, Whitefield - 6.5 km

• Phase 4 - M.G. Road Metro Station to Koramangala - 7 km

• Phase 5 - Jayanagar 4th Block to JP Nagar 6th phase - 5.3 km

• Phase 6 - Sony Junction to Indiranagar Metro Station - 6.7 km

Source: ET