Mumbai has begun work on its Automated Rapid Transit System (ARTS), known as the pod taxi, to improve last-mile connectivity in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently performed the groundbreaking ceremony. Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar were present. Fadnavis said all required approvals have been obtained.
The project is being implemented by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority through a public-private partnership with Sai Green Mobility Private Limited and Ultra PRT, which has implemented a similar system at Heathrow Airport in London.
The PPP model means there will be no direct financial burden on the state government or MMRDA, and the project is expected to generate revenue.
Route, stations and integration
The full network is planned over about 8.85 km between Bandra (East) and Kurla and will be developed in phases. The first phase will cover a 3.36 km stretch between Bandra (East) and Kurla Terminal.
The corridor will have 22 air-conditioned stations spaced about 200 metres apart. Key stops include LBS Marg, Kalanagar, MMRDA Pay and Park, Bharat Diamond Bourse Gate 11, the Old MMRDA building and the Excise Department. Earlier plans proposed more stations, but the number has been reduced to 22.
The system will connect Bandra and Kurla suburban railway stations and provide access within BKC. It will integrate with Metro Line 3 at BKC and Metro Line 2B at ITO and IL&FS stations. A depot is planned on an RLDA plot in Bandra East.
Technology, operations and fares
The pod taxi system is a driverless, AI-based personal rapid transit network using battery-powered pods on an elevated guideway. Each pod can carry up to six passengers and will run at a maximum speed of 40 kmph.
Pods will be available at intervals of about 15 seconds and will stop only at stations selected by passengers. Operations will be monitored from a central control room, and the system is described as zero-carbon.
The proposed fare is about ₹21 per kilometre based on a 2022 estimate. Officials expect annual fare increases of up to about 4%.
Fadnavis said, “A person alighting either from the metro or a suburban train will not be required to use another mode of public transport thereafter. He can reach within a distance of 100 to 150 metres by this pod taxi.”
He said the project would “completely decongest the BKC” and added that similar systems could be replicated elsewhere if successful. An MMRDA official said, “The Pod Taxi will transform the way people move within BKC.”
Cost, timeline and impact
The estimated project cost is about ₹1,016 crore. The first phase is expected to be completed within 10 to 20 months, according to different official statements. The overall project is expected to take about three years, with operations targeted around 2027, while long-term projections extend to 2031.
The system is projected to serve more than 1.09 lakh passengers daily by 2031, with estimates suggesting this could rise further by 2041. BKC currently sees between 4 lakh and 6 lakh daily visitors.
Officials say the system is intended to reduce dependence on autos, taxis and buses for short distances within BKC, cut travel time and ease congestion.
The project has received clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority, but it involves clearing 0.14 hectares of mangroves and cutting 431 trees, with parts of the alignment passing through coastal regulation zones. Environmental groups have raised concerns about the impact.
Plans linked to the project also include future tunnel connections in BKC. One tunnel is proposed from the Bandra-Worli Sea Link to the BKC metro and the upcoming bullet train station, with extensions towards Kurla and the airport, and a possible future link to the Coastal Road.
