Stories
Nitin Gadkari Revives 'Skybus' Vision for Indian Cities: What is This 'Flying Bus' Concept?
- •Union Minister Nitin Gadkari shared a concept video of an elevated urban transport system, dubbed "Skybus," on X, emphasizing innovation for public convenience and welfare.
- •The video depicts a pod-like vehicle moving above road traffic on an elevated guideway, aligning with Gadkari's long-standing advocacy for alternative transport solutions in congested Indian cities.
- •Gadkari has previously proposed variants of elevated pod, cable-based, and "flying bus" systems for cities like Prayagraj, Bengaluru, and Amritsar, and the Dhaula Kuan-Manesar corridor.
- •The "Skybus" concept involves electric, driverless pods on elevated guideways or cable/ropeway systems, not conventional aircraft, to alleviate traffic congestion.
- •While the name "Skybus" has a history in India with Konkan Railway's test system in the early 2000s, Gadkari's current proposals are distinct and remain in various stages of concept discussion and feasibility studies.
Key Questions Answered
The concept video features an elevated urban transport system with a pod-like vehicle moving above road traffic on an overhead guideway. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari shared the video to highlight futuristic aerial transport options aimed at improving public convenience and addressing urban traffic congestion.
Yes, Konkan Railway previously developed an indigenous Skybus Metro system featuring coaches suspended beneath an elevated track. A 1.6-kilometer test track was built in Madgaon, Goa, with public trials beginning in 2004, though the project never entered commercial service and the infrastructure was later dismantled.
Nitin Gadkari has previously proposed aerial and pod-based transport systems for various locations, including a cable-operated Skybus for Amritsar around the Golden Temple, an aerial pod system between Delhi's Dhaula Kuan and Manesar, and feasibility studies in Bengaluru and Pune.
