Yeida extends pod taxi project from Film City to Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk

According to officials, once extended to Pari Chowk, the pod taxi project will span at least 25 kilometres from Jewar to Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk

The Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (Yeida) has decided to expand its ambitious pod taxi project’s route until Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk.

Pari chowk in Greater Noida. According to officials, the authority hopes to complete the pod taxi project by the end of 2024. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Previously, it produced a detailed project report for a 12km pod taxi route connecting Noida International Greenfield Airport at Jewar to Sector 21, where the Film City project is proposed. Yeida also issued a tender last month, inviting companies to bid on the project.

As a result, seven internationally reputed companies participated in the tendering process intending to take over the project. According to officials, any agency interested in taking on the Pod Taxi’s 12 km project can apply for a tender until August 10; on August 16, Yeida will open bids for this ₹641 crore project.

“We anticipate that Yeida will finalise the successful company in the next two-three months and move the project forward. The important thing is that it is our mandate to provide multi-modal connectivity from Jewar airport to other nearby areas, so we will build Metro corridors, pod taxis, and new roads,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of Yeida.

According to the final detailed project report (DPR), the 12km route connecting the two mega projects in the Yeida area will have 12 stations. Film City, Rabupura village, Sector 34, junction of sectors 28 and 33, Toy Park, intersection 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 among the 12 stations along the route.

According to officials, the authority hopes to complete the pod taxi project by the end of 2024, when the first phase of the Jewar airport is expected to be operational. According to officials, once extended to Pari Chowk, the pod taxi project will span at least 25 kilometres from Jewar to Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk.

According to the officials, 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 ₹8 per kilometre.

The Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Limited informed Yeida in March 2023 about the pod taxi projects in South Korea, London, and Abu Dhabi. Following that, Yeida approved the bid document and DPR, which were also approved by the Uttar Pradesh government, paving the way for the project’s tender issuance last month.