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Why would you have stuck in traffic? When you can fly over traffic and go between Delhi and Gurgaon with ease. There’s going to be a shift in the way people travel between the two major cities. It will just take seven minutes instead of the normal one and a half hours to cover the 27 kilometres.
In 2026, the parent company of IndiGo, InterGlobe Enterprises, along with US-based Archer Aviation, will launch an all-electric air taxi service in India. The service would transport customers from Delhi’s Connaught Place to Gurugram, Haryana, in just seven minutes. Bengaluru and Mumbai will also introduce such services.
According to the agreement, 200 electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft with 12 rotors each would be supplied by Archer Aviation for about USD 1 billion. These aircraft can accommodate a pilot and up to four passengers at most. It will function similarly to a helicopter, but with better safety measures and lower noise levels.
What About The Gurgaon To Delhi Air Taxi Fare?
As per Archer Aviation officials, the cost of the seven-minute journey from Connaught Place, New Delhi to Gurugram is probably between 2,000-3,000 per person.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US regulator, is reportedly in talks with Archer Aviation’s founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, and the company’s aircraft certification process is progressing well.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will start the certification procedure once it is completed, which is anticipated to happen by 2025.
Archer Aviation Partnership With InterGlobe Enterprises
Archer Aviation’s primary focus would be on metro cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. Its flight from Connaught Place in Delhi to Gurugram will take around 7 minutes, and it may cost between ₹2,000 and ₹3,000. The 27 kilometers would take around 90 minutes and cost about ₹1,500 to drive in a vehicle,” he added.
The pilot and four passengers will be able to travel in the five-seater Midnight aircraft, which has six battery packs that can be completely charged in 30 to 40 minutes, according to Nikhil Goel, Chief Commercial Officer of Archer Aviation. The US-based business is also in discussions on flight operations and infrastructure with local firms.
Bangalore And Mumbai Will Offer Air Taxi Services
InterGlobe and Archer Aviation said this as part of their joint venture that they will introduce a similar taxi service outside of Delhi, in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
With this fresh alliance, InterGlobe Enterprises, the company that funds IndiGo, the leading airline service provider in India, hopes to increase its market share in the low-cost transport sector.
Rahul Bhatia, global managing director of InterGlobe, stated, “We are excited at this new opportunity to bring an effective, futuristic, and sustainable transport solution to India with Archer’s electric aircraft.”
India’s urban transportation system is beginning to face difficulties due to the nation’s recent fast growth in both passenger and commercial vehicle numbers, as well as the country’s restricted road expansion and uneven highway geometry throughout its cities.
Although public transportation has been stressed by state officials as a means of reducing traffic congestion, the nation is now searching for a sustainable solution and is considering next-generation possibilities such as air taxis and the hyperloop.
Source-ET
