YEIDA approves revised DPR of ₹810-crore India's first Pod Taxi project in Noida

Noida, India (Urban Transport News): The Board of Directors of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has approved the revised detailed project report (DPR) and bid document for the Rs 810 crore Urban Pod Taxi project connecting Noida Sector 21 Film City to the Noida International Airport project site in Jewar.

"The Authority has approved the pod taxi bid document and revised detailed project report (DPR) for the project, which aims to connect Sector 21 Film City to the Jewar airport site with pod taxis — small, automated cars that run on specially built guideways. Officials aware of the matter said construction work on the pod taxi network will start after the state government approves the revised DPR and bid document," said YEIDA officials on 3rd May 2023.

On 3rd May 2023, YIEDA hold a meeting with the Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRRC), a central government agency, to discuss the technical aspects of this project. After the meeting, YEIDA board finalised the revised DPR and the bid document to be issued to select the company that will build this project.

“IPRRC revealed information about pod taxi projects in South Korea, London, and Abu Dhabi. We proposed that IPRRCL incorporate the best practises from these three countries. They have done so, and we have revised the DPR to make it a successful project, the first of its kind in India. In addition, we have finalised the bid document, which will aid in the selection of the company that will build this project,” said Arun Vir Singh, Chief Executive Officer of YEIDA.

“We will begin work at the Jewar site as soon as the state government gives its approval,” Singh said. The state government may grant approval within the next three to four months, said officials familiar with the matter. Yeida hired IPRRC in March 2021 to prepare a DPR for the pod taxi project.

According to the final DPR, the 12km route connecting the two megaprojects in the Yeida area will have 12 stations. The project’s draft DPR suggested 17 stations.

Film City, Rabupura Village, Sector 34, junction of sectors 28 and 33, Toy Park, Junction of Sectors 29 and 32 (on 100m wide road), Apparel Park, Sector 29, Junction of Sectors 29 and 32 (on 75m wide road), MSME Park, and Handicraft Park will be the 12 stations along the route. Each station will have a pod taxi service with a frequency of 20 seconds, and the project is expected to see 37,000 passengers per day who will be charged Rs 8 per kilometre.

Now the authority hopes to complete the pod taxi project by 2024, when the first phase of the Jewar airport is expected to be operational.