Rooftops across India’s biggest cities could soon double up as landing pads for air taxis as the country explores advanced air mobility solutions to tackle chronic traffic congestion. A new report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) argues that using rooftops as take-off, landing and parking points for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) could offer a faster and more economical alternative to building ground-based infrastructure.
The report proposes a pilot air corridor linking Gurugram, Connaught Place and the upcoming Jewar International Airport, a route that could potentially cut travel time from hours to minutes. The model is being pitched as a high-impact response to urban traffic bottlenecks, with the potential to be replicated in other cities such as Mumbai and Bengaluru. Since acquiring land for ground-based landing pads is prohibitively expensive, rooftops are seen as a quicker and more cost-effective way to roll out early services, while also turning existing buildings into new revenue-generating assets.
Titled Navigating the Future of Advanced Air Mobility in India, the report was released by Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, who said India’s aviation sector is evolving into a “high-tech, multi-dimensional mobility ecosystem.” Emphasising the broader vision behind the proposal, he said, “The integration of Advanced Air Mobility reflects our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and world-class urban connectivity.” He added that the report offers a “timely and practical blueprint to realise a faster, cleaner, and more connected India.”
However, the report flags that existing regulations do not currently permit routine commercial flights from rooftops. To address this gap, it recommends setting up a dedicated cell within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to frame safety, certification and operational standards for advanced air mobility.
Amit Dutta, Chairman of the CII Task Force on Advanced Air Mobility, said the study bridges the gap between vision and execution. “By analysing a hypothetical Delhi-NCR corridor through structured modelling and regulatory scenario testing, this study moves from concept to operational assessment,” he said, adding that it tackles the “regulatory, infrastructure, and airspace challenges associated with early AAM pilots.”
The report also suggests beginning with drone-based cargo and medical supply transport over distances of 50–100 km, using zones such as GIFT City or Andhra Pradesh as regulatory sandboxes. To support the ecosystem, CII has urged banks and government agencies to create dedicated funding mechanisms for air mobility infrastructure.
Source: ET Infra
