Gadkari visits uSky Transport in Sharjah, rides SkyBus electric pod

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was on a visit to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. There he went to the company 'uSky Transport' and learnt about a modern transport technology. He also travelled on the SkyBus himself.

Traffic jams, travel time and logistics costs are rising in cities. To reduce them, there is said to be scope for big changes in the transport systems of the future. SkyBus is one such idea.

SkyBus uses electric vehicles that run on an elevated route instead of the road. Electric pods run on a special track built above the ground, so the vehicles' path stays separate from road traffic.

The vehicles are powered by an electric motor, and the pod moves along the track on steel wheels. The concept allows separate pods for passengers and for freight.

Gadkari visited uSky Transport in Sharjah, studied the technology and travelled on the SkyBus. He said there is a need to find a solution to cities' traffic problems through modern electric transport and faster public transport.

According to Gadkari, it may be important to think about such technology to make the transport system of the future faster, safer and more effective. Such options could also help cut logistics costs in countries with large populations.

Traffic congestion is a serious problem in India's fast-growing cities. In cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, the number of vehicles on the roads keeps rising. The need is being felt to go beyond the old roads and create another transport option.

It has been suggested that how well a technology like SkyBus could work in such cities can be tested. However, actually running it in India would require an in-depth study of infrastructure, cost, safety, securing routes and local conditions.

The main aim of SkyBus technology is to reduce traffic pressure on existing roads. An elevated, separate route could help cut travel time. If separate pods are used for freight, there is also scope for change in the logistics system.

Such an option could be useful for both passengers and freight, especially in big cities. However, how much real benefit it brings will depend on how the technology is implemented, its cost and local transport needs.

The use of electric and automatic transport technology is growing, and systems like SkyBus are being seen as options for the future. The idea of transport on an elevated route, without using limited land, could give cities a different option.

Gadkari's SkyBus ride in Sharjah has become a talking point for this reason. Whether the technology is actually adopted in India's big cities will depend on its technical and economic viability.