Pod taxi project to connect Noida airport with film city will cost ₹862 crore, says DPR

GREATER NOIDA: The pod taxi project, which is planned to connect the upcoming international airport in Jewar with the proposed film city, will cost about ₹862 crore, according to the detailed project report (DPR) submitted to the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) on Tuesday

GREATER NOIDA: The pod taxi project, which is planned to connect the upcoming international airport in Jewar with the proposed film city, will cost about ₹862 crore, according to the detailed project report (DPR) submitted to the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) on Tuesday. The length of corridor for the ambitious project will be 14.5km, the DPR said.

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In March this year, Yeida had roped in the central government agency, Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited, to prepare a DPR of the pod taxi project that will boost the connectivity between the Jewar airport and the film city.

“This important project will provide smooth connectivity to residential and industrial areas falling between film city and the Noida International Airport. We have started studying the DPR so that we can suggest any changes if required, and subsequently it will be sent to the UP government for approvals,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of Yeida.

Pod taxis, which are quite popular in several western countries, can accommodate four to six passengers per car.

According to the Yeida officials, earlier the project was proposed to be built on an elevated corridor but the DPR has suggested it to be constructed on surface itself.

“We had planned only one corridor for pod taxi from airport to film city and return commute. But the DPR has suggested that there should be two corridors for a hassle-free and fast commute,” said Singh.

Since there will now be two corridors, the cost of this project has been pegged at ₹862 crore as against an initial estimate of ₹300 crore, said the officials.

As per the DPR, the corridor will pass through various sectors such as 21, 28, 29, 30 and 32, among others, falling under the Yeida region.

The officials said that the authority wants the pod taxi project to be completed by 2023 when the first phase of the Jewar airport is likely to be operational. The Swiss company -- Zurich International -- may start work at the site of the airport next month, while the work on the film city project will be started once the UP government gives its green signal to the DPR sent to it on June 10.