Mumbai: In a significant step towards enhancing the city's infrastructure and providing sustainable solutions to urban mobility challenges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would lay the foundation of pod taxi service at the Bandra-Kurla Complex. If sources in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) are to be believed, the bhoomipujan or the foundation stone laying ceremony of the service would be performed on October 5.
The Automated Rapid Transit System (Pod Taxi) will offer a fast, efficient, and eco-friendly mode of transport, significantly reducing the travel time and congestion in the area.
According to the sources in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the state government or the MMRDA will not be spending a single rupee on the project since the onus will be completely on the concessionaire appointed for the project.
“The MMRDA recently approved the appointment of M/s Sai Green Mobility Private Limited as the concessionaire for the design, engineering, development, construction, testing, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the service on DFBOT basis. While the project implementation and operation will be the responsibility of the concessionaire, it will help in generating revenue for the MMRDA as well as the state government,” the sources said.
According to them, there will be stations at every 200 metres along BKC that will help in reducing the traffic issues. “The project is likely to be completed within five years,” they added.
The concessionaire firm has partnered with M/s. Ultra PRT, a technology provider with a proven track record, including the operational Pod Taxi system at Heathrow Airport, London. This project is set to revolutionize last-mile connectivity within BKC, addressing the needs of the 4 to 6 lakh commuters who travel daily to and from the business district.
The decision to implement the Pod Taxi system follows a comprehensive Techno-Economic Feasibility Study (TEFS) commissioned by MMRDA, which explored various technologies operational across the globe. The study, peer-reviewed by Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), recommended the Pod Taxi system for BKC due to its suitability for the region’s topography and the expected traffic growth.
The fares for the Pod Taxi system have been meticulously finalized based on stated preference surveys conducted among current auto and bus users. At present, the commuters pay Rs 15.33 per km by metered auto and Rs 30 to 40 for sharing an auto per passenger for travel to BKC from Bandra or Kurla. Similarly, taxi users pay Rs 18.67 per km, while Ola and Uber drivers often charge dynamic rates ranging from Rs 80 to 100 for the short 2-3 km trips from the stations to BKC.
The project was approved during MMRDA's meeting on March 6, 2024, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,016.34 crore on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis. The financial model, developed by the TEFS consultant and reviewed by M/s. TCE anticipates a construction period of three years and a concession period of 30 years. The model includes provisions for a fixed concession fee and a percentage of revenue sharing with MMRDA.
