From Roads to Rooftops: CII Backs Air Taxi Corridor in Delhi-NCR
A pilot air corridor linking Gurugram, Connaught Place and Jewar International Airport could reduce travel time from hours to minutes and offer a scalable solution to urban traffic congestion, according to a new report by the Confederation of Indian Industry.
The report, titled "Navigating the Future of Advanced Air Mobility in India," was launched by Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, who said the country’s aviation sector is moving toward a "high-tech, multi-dimensional mobility ecosystem."
The study identifies electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, as a potential game changer for urban transport.
A key recommendation is the use of rooftops as landing and parking sites for these electric air taxis, turning existing buildings into revenue-generating assets.
With land acquisition for ground-based landing pads proving expensive and time-consuming, rooftops are seen as a cheaper and faster alternative to roll out services in dense urban centres such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Regulatory Hurdles and the Push for a DGCA Framework
"The integration of Advanced Air Mobility reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and world-class urban connectivity," Union Minister Kinjarapu said.
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He added that the report provides a "timely and practical blueprint to realise a faster, cleaner, and more connected India."
The report, however, notes that existing regulations do not currently permit regular commercial flights operating from rooftops.
To address this, it recommends the creation of a dedicated cell within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to frame safety, certification and operational standards for advanced air mobility technologies.
Amit Dutta, Chairman of the CII Task Force on Advanced Air Mobility, said the study was designed to move the concept closer to implementation.
Drones, Test Zones and a Roadmap for Early Adoption
"By analysing a hypothetical Delhi-NCR corridor through structured modelling and regulatory scenario testing, this study moves from concept to operational assessment," Dutta said.
He added that it addresses the "regulatory, infrastructure, and airspace challenges associated with early AAM pilots."
As a first step, the report suggests deploying drones for cargo movement and medical logistics over distances of 50 to 100 km.
It also proposes using regions such as GIFT City or Andhra Pradesh as testing zones, where certain regulatory relaxations could be introduced to support early adoption and innovation.
To support the development of advanced air mobility infrastructure, the CII has called on banks and government agencies to set up dedicated funding mechanisms, underlining the need for coordinated public and private investment to take the technology from pilot projects to scale.
(With inputs from ANI)