Bengaluru may soon embrace a futuristic mode of travel –the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system. The Provide-On-Demand (POD) taxi system, at present being planned for Gurgaon, could enter India's Silicon Valley as well.
Reports suggest Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is mulling Pod taxis for the city to mitigate traffic issues. The civic body has already identified six stretches in the city for Pod, covering 35.5 km radius. Pod can reportedly ferry over 15,000 people per hour and the entire network will be powered by solar energy. The six stretches that have been planned for the implementation include busy roads such as MG Road, Indiranagar and Marathahalli.
The BBMP is reportedly looking to adopt a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model, which will help the body to cut on spending from the public funds. The estimated time for development of the ambitious Pod connectivity will be 6-8 months, an exercise the civic body believes will be cost effective. BBMP is expected to call for the expression of interest of the companies soon.
| The identified areas for the Pod connectivity and the distance--
MG Road Metro Station to The Leela Palace junction 4 km - Phase 1--The Leela Palace to Marathahalli junction 6 km - Phase 2--Marathahalli junction to EPIP, Whitefield 6.5 km - Phase 3--MG Road Metro Station to Koramangala 7 km - Phase 4--Jayanagar 4th Block to JP Nagar 6th phase 5.3 km - Phase 5--Sony Junction to Indiranagar Metro Station 6.7 km - Phase 6 |
What is PRT or Pod?
As a public transport mode, PRT or Pod features small -automated vehicles operating on a network of specially built guideways. PRT vehicles are sized for individual or small group travel, typically carrying no more than 3 to 6 passengers per vehicle. Guideways are arranged in a network topology; with all stations located on sidings, and with frequent merge/diverge points. The point-to-point service has been compared to a taxi or a horizontal lift (elevator).
Where is it in operation?
Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit, the oldest and most extensive public transport is in Morgantown, West Virginia
London Heathrow Airport and Suncheon, South Korea
Is it in India?
Not as of now, though there are plans underway for the first Pod taxis in Gurgaon, followed by Delhi and Amritsar.
Source: Economic Times
