Nitin Gadkari's Mobility Revolution Explained: Electric Mass Transit, Tree Banks & Flex-Fuel Cars

India is expected to undergo a transport transformation like never before thanks to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. In a recent PTI interview, he introduced a bold vision calling it the "mobility revolution in India", which mainly focuses on electric mass rapid transport, hyperloop corridors, and ropeway and cable-car systems in remote and hilly areas.

Hyperloop, Pod Taxis & More

Gadkari said pilot projects are set for Delhi and Bengaluru, including Metrino pod taxis, hyperloop networks, and pillar-based mass transit systems. He hinted that soon, we might see cable-run buses and airplane-style electric buses on city roads.

Ropeways & Funiculars for Hilly Areas

A whopping 360 ropeway and funicular rail projects are being planned across India's rugged terrains, including Kedarnath, with 60 under construction already. These systems, which will be part tram and part elevator, can cost between Rs. 200 crore and Rs. 5,000 crore per project and could completely change travel in remote hills.

Green Buses & Greener Cities

In Nagpur, a pilot electric bus with 135 seats, AC, and airline-like seats is being tested. It can accelerate to 120-125 km/h and recharge in just 30-40 minutes, which is projected to be 30% cheaper than diesel. If it works, it will roll out on popular routes like Delhi-Jaipur, Mumbai-Pune, and Bengaluru-Chennai.

Road Expansion On Cards

Gadkari also plans to build 100 km of highways per day and convert 25,000 km of two-lane roads into four lanes. He's pushing precast construction, AI-driven safety tools, drone surveillance, and three-foot-high barriers to match US road standards. Highways have grown from 91,287 km to 146,204 km, and high-speed corridors surged from 93 km to 2,474 km.

Flex-Fuel Vehicles & Tree Banks

Gadkari pointed out that 40% of India's air pollution comes from transport. This mobility makeover is not notjust cleaner it is smarter. The transformative infrastructure could reduce logistics costs from 14% to 9% of GDP, cut pollution, and curb the Rs 22 lakh crore fuel import bill. To fight pollution and slash fuel imports, 11 manufacturers-including Tata, Hyundai, Toyota, and Mahindra-are in line to build flex-fuel vehicles that run on ethanol or methanol blends. He also plans a "tree bank" to replant five trees for one cut, targeting 20-25 crore trees along highways.