A pilot corridor connecting Gurugram, Connaught Place and the Jewar International Airport in Noida can set up an air taxi system that would help the country cut infrastructural bottlenecks and slash transit time from hours to minutes, the CII (Confederation of India Industries) has said in a report.
These, the report said, could operate from rooftops of hospitals and commercial buildings and in initial phases, could work for organ transportation and similar missions.
Strategic co-location with hospitals, metro stations, and business districts would ensure seamless integration with existing transport networks.
Why Air Taxis
Given the surface transport situation, the next step for the country is Advanced Air Mobility solutions like Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing -- or air taxis -- which will travel in Indian airspace, the report said. A new body with regulatory functions could work within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGCA to set up the mobility solutions.
The report on Advanced Air Mobility - released by Civil Aviation minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu -- also said it would offer a high impact solution to urban congestion. The report outlined a phased plan for the safe integration of next-generation air mobility solutions into the aviation ecosystem.
DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Chairman of the Airports Authority of India Vipin Kumar and key leaders from the civil aviation industry were present on the occasion.
Roof-Tops for Veriports
"As India prepares Advanced Air Mobility, rooftop vertiports offer an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective solution, especially in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru," the report read.
Since acquiring land for ground-based vertiports will be prohibitively expensive and often delayed by regulatory clearances, rooftops, especially for commercial hubs, hospitals, tech parks, and residential towers, are being proposed as a solution. The report said they will offer existing, under-utilized real estate.
"Under the current DGCA regulations, routine commercial vertical take-offs and landings from rooftops are not yet permitted, and any future enablement would be subject to the evolution of applicable regulatory frameworks and safety assessments," the report read.
The report outlines a sequenced approach to trials, beginning with drone delivery, followed by medical logistics and organ transport missions, and eventually air ambulance services.
Who Will Foot The Bill
The report has called upon public financial institutions -- including SIDBI, banks, and government grant agencies -- to establish dedicated financing instruments for Advanced Air Mobility.
These could take the form of sector-specific infrastructure funds, venture leasing mechanisms, or credit enhancement facilities aimed at reducing investment risk and enabling long-term capital flows.
