Loknath Behera, the Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL), is inspired by the success of the recently launched water metro services. He has now set his sights on an even greater ambition. In addition to the existing rail and water metros, Behera envisions KMRL venturing into a new mode of transportation known as the “Air Metro.”
Behera believes that the “Air Metro” holds tremendous potential as the next frontier in public transportation and considers it a concept worthy of exploration by KMRL’s researchers. While air taxis are already a reality, Behera’s vision goes beyond that, aiming to establish a more extensive system capable of transporting a larger number of passengers, similar to the existing metro services.
Expanding on his concept, Behera parallels the “air metro” and KMRL’s current metro rail and water metro systems. For instance, he envisions an air metro service that connects Kalamassery to Nedumbassery. Such a service would require dedicated infrastructure for takeoff and landing. Behera emphasizes that this idea has gained traction, particularly in the Middle East, and highlights our familiarity with other applications of aerial technology, such as drone ambulances and aerial firefighters.
Behera mentioned that both metro services in Kochi are powered by sustainable energy, specifically solar power. He pointed out that countries like France, Japan, and England are at the forefront of transportation sector experiments. Behera emphasized the need for collaborative efforts in technology within the transportation sector and the importance of conducting experiments to discover better approaches, similar to what other countries are doing.
Loknath Behera suggested that universities should research to develop solar-powered air metro technology. He acknowledged that the process of generating ideas, conducting experiments, and implementing other necessary procedures would likely take another one or two decades. Nonetheless, he believed such technology could become a reality and revolutionize the public transportation system.
Regarding flying technology advancements, Mr. Behera mentioned that the air metro would utilize drone-based technology. He mentioned that unmanned drones have already been developed and anticipated that a similar passenger transportation service would be available within the next one or two decades.
Behera shared his knowledge of a conceptual video created by students from IIT-Delhi who are researching this technology. They informed him about the possibility of having an air ambulance service that would differ from traditional helicopter usage. This new service would provide a door-to-door emergency transportation solution.
see also – Smart City Kochi: Mission, Objective, Projects, and Current Status
Wrapping Up
International news portals have reported that countries like Israel, the US, and China are exploring the feasibility of introducing commercial air taxi operations by 2025. According to “The Times of Israel,” autonomous drones carrying passengers were successfully tested earlier this month in Israel. The Israel Drone Initiative aims to establish a comprehensive nationwide drone network.
