Facing traffic snarls Thane city to soon see launch of pod taxis Minister Sarnaik

Thane, May 5 (PTI) Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Monday announced that Thane city will soon see the launch of pod taxis, offering residents a modern, eco-friendly, and congestion-free commuting alternative.
To address traffic congestion, a convenient and economical transportation system of the future is being started in Thane city through air (pod) taxis, a release from Sarnaik's office quoted him as saying.
A pilot route for the pod taxi project is planned along a 40-metre-wide road in the Vihang Hills area at Bhayander Pada on Ghodbunder Road, he said.
Significantly, the pilot project will not require any expenditure from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) or the state government.
"Not a single rupee of the municipal corporation or the government will be spent for this project," emphasized the minister, who is the MLA from Ovala-Majiwada in Thane city.
Pod taxis are an advanced and eco-friendly transportation system. These are automated cars that are configured to transport passengers between specific locations at high speed. The driverless cars are electrically propelled.
The minister confirmed that the TMC has granted preliminary permission to the implementing agency -- Nutron EV Mobility Ltd -- to carry out required surveys and obtain further clearances for the pod taxi project.
Highlighting the pressure on existing road infrastructure in Thane, Sarnaik's noted, "There will be many limitations on road transport in the future too. Therefore, the experiment of air (pod) taxis will definitely be successful to remove the congestion on road traffic."
The proposed pod taxi corridor will enhance last-mile connectivity to the Wadala-Gaimukh metro line which is expected to begin operations next year. The segment from Kapurbawdi to Gaimukh, in particular, is being identified as a key stretch where pod taxis could efficiently supplement metro services, said the release.
The initiative is inspired by a similar pilot project being conducted in Vadodara, Gujarat, under the central government's futuristic urban mobility vision. The Vadodara model is being overseen by Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Following Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's directive, Sarnaik inspected the project in Vadodara and decided to replicate it in Thane and areas under the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation, his office said.
According to Sarnaik's office, a detailed survey will soon be undertaken by Nutron EV Mobility, after which the implementation framework will be finalized.
"We are trying to start an easy and safe (pod) taxi project in Thane city as an alternative to road transport in the future," he asserted.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)