Hyderabad to Introduce Pod Taxis for Last Mile Connectivity

The residents of Hyderabad are set to benefit from a new innovative transport facility as the government prepares to introduce ‘pod taxis’ to address last mile connectivity for metro commuters.

Named Personal Rapid Transit (PRT), this system will connect metro stations directly with key locations such as headquarters, IT hubs, and residential areas. Currently, around five lakh people use the city’s metro daily, but reaching final destinations often proves difficult due to a lack of buses and autos, high fares, and traffic congestion.

To tackle these issues, the government has decided to implement pod taxis on elevated tracks that operate independently of road traffic. The first phase will cover areas including Rayadurgam-Kukatpally, Rayadurgam-Hitech City, Financial District, Knowledge City, and the vicinity of the Secretariat. The project will be executed under the public-private partnership model of design, build, finance, operate, transfer (DBFOT), with a consultant being appointed to assess the technical and financial feasibility.

These fully automated, driverless vehicles can reach speeds of up to 40 km/h and carry 6 to 8 passengers each. Capable of transporting approximately 10,000 people per hour, they run on electricity or batteries, ensuring no pollution.

With advance booking facilities, travel times are expected to be significantly reduced. Similar projects are underway in Mumbai, and if successful, Hyderabad’s pod taxi system could be operational within a few years, marking a new chapter in urban transportation.