Why in news ? 

Niti Aayog cleared half-a-dozen proposals of the transport ministry exploring options to improve public transport.

Approval of Niti Aayog to experiment and introduce six latest mass rapid transportation technologies. These technologies include metrino, stadler buses, hyperloop, pod taxis, hybrid buses and freight rail road.

How it helpful in transport?

Mass rapid transportation technologies such as hyperloop, metrino and pod taxis could soon be a reality. Approved the proposals of the transport ministry with a condition that the ministry conducts trial run of all these technologies and puts in place safety measures before starting commercially operation. India don’t have any such thing, need to know the global safety standards and ensure that these technology companies are following it.

Need for new technology

The new technologies are being explored as current public transportation is unable to resolve the increasing traffic crisis in the country. Besides, some of them are more cost effective than the existing ones. Metrino (pod taxis) is almost one tenth of the cost of the metro, so there’s a cost advantage as well.

Source : Economic Times

GS III : Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc