In order to provide a transport facility in congested areas of the city, the Noida Authority has planned to start a pod taxi service — an elevated Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system. The announcement to this effect was made by authority officials after a recent meeting. Initially, the authority will construct a four km stretch at a cost of Rs 204 crore.
PK Agarwal, Additional CEO of the Noida Authority said, "As vehicular volume is increasing, we will have to introduce hi-tech systems for the betterment of our existing traffic facilities. The pod taxi can save time and help passengers avoid traffic snarl. In the first phase, we have planned to construct a 2.6 km stretch from Botanical Garden Metro station to the busiest market of Sector 18."
"In all, we will have to build a four km track within two years. To build the track for the pod taxi, we will have to spend Rs 45 crore per kilometer. An additional Rs 24 crore will have to be invested for its operation," said the ACEO.
"Commuters will not face traffic congestion or parking hassles in the pod taxi, which can also drop a passenger to the higher floors of a mall or a building. The pod taxi can even pass through the middle of a high rise building," he added.
If all works out fine, Noida will be the second city after Amritsar to have a pod taxi system. The Punjab
Government has already
signed a contract with the company to run pod taxi in Amritsar.
The PRT system is already there in several cities across the globe. The new system is considered being passenger-friendly and meant for congested cities having narrow streets and less parking space.