Mumbai to Get India’s First Pod Taxi System, Driverless Travel Set to Begin Soon

Mumbai is set to launch India’s first driverless pod taxi system connecting Kurla and BKC. The AI-based project aims to improve connectivity, reduce traffic, and offer faster, convenient travel for commuters.

India's First Driverless Pod Taxi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis performed the bhoomi pujan (foundation stone ceremony) for the driverless pod taxi project on Tuesday. This unique project is an automated rapid transit system. It is being built to connect Kurla and the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai. Once completed, daily commuters will benefit from better connectivity. 

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar also attended the ceremony. CM Fadnavis confirmed that the project has already received all necessary permissions. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is developing this project. BKC is a major business hub in Mumbai, home to multinational companies, banks, the National Stock Exchange, hotels, and the Bharat Diamond Bourse.

22 Stations Will Be Built

The entire project will stretch over 8.85 kilometres and will be developed in phases. The route will have a total of 22 air-conditioned stations, built at intervals of about 200 metres. The initial phase will cover a 3.36-kilometre stretch between Bandra (East) and Kurla. This system will connect key areas like LBS Marg, Kalanagar, and BKC, and also improve connectivity to the Bandra and Kurla railway stations. These driverless, AI-based pods will run on batteries and travel on a fixed track. Each pod can seat a maximum of six people.

40 km/h Speed and 6-Seater Capacity

These pod taxis will run at a maximum speed of 40 kilometres per hour. The pods will arrive at a frequency of every 15 seconds and will only stop at the stations selected by the passengers, making the journey faster and more convenient. The project will be developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. A depot will also be built on an RLDA plot in Bandra East to operate the system. According to officials, this pod taxi system will help reduce traffic congestion. They estimate that by 2031, over 109,000 passengers will use it daily.