India To Float Tender For Driverless Pods Project In December

India is set to float its first tender for a suspended dirveless pods taxi project in New Delhi next month, said Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.

The electric ropeway under the Personal Rapid Transit plan will stretch 70 kilometres from Dhaula Kuan in the national capital to Manesar in neighbouring Haryana, Gadkari said today at an event in New Delhi. That’s in line with the government's plan to end dependence on fossil-fuel driven passenger transport by 2030 in a bid to reduce pollution, he said.

“There are no rules for Metrino (pods) in India. An expert committee has been formed consisting of a retired security director of Metro rail. They will submit the security clearance report for the transport system on Nov. 29,” said Gadkari.

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The ministry plans a policy for public electric transport system soon as it pushes electric passenger transport to cut emissions. The government has already placed an order for 500 electric cars. The auction for second phase will be conducted in March-April.

It also decided to roll out stricter Bharat Stage-VI fuel norms in New Delhi two years ahead of the plan by April 2018 after the national capital remained engulfed in a toxic smog for about two weeks.

“Four companies have said that they are ready to supply BS-VI compliant vehicles by April 2018,” Gadkari said without naming them. The deadline for automakers to make the switch is April 2020.

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