from daijiworld's special correspondent (MB)
Panaji, Apr 18: The Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) has said that it will take at least two more years for its Skybus technology to run commercially.
"The final and regular testing of this technology on the rails will start after six to nine months and the technology will be available for public use and open market commercially within the next two years", Dr K K Gokhale, managing director, KRCL, told reporters at Margao, 40 kms away from here.
The Government of India has approved a fund of Rs 25 crore for final testing of this technology developed indigenously by the Konkan Railways.
The Skybus technology, a KRCL's brainchild, running overhead, was being tried at 1.5 kms long stretch, in Margao.
“The project is delayed pending the Urban Transport amendment bill in the parliament. Once this bill is passed, the bogies being manufactured for the Skybus in Europe will be imported in India in another six to eight months,” Dr Gokhale said. He added that the technology has proven all right for the passenger safety during its trials.
The KRCL MD informed that till date the expenditure trial run cost on this project is nearing Rs 50 crores and another Rs 35 crores is required for the tests so as to make it `full proof'.
The corporation has already got the proposal to install the system in cities like Hyderabad and Pune.