Speed upto 1,200 kmph’: India’s first hyperloop corridor in works; watch

NEW DELHI: India is gearing up for the development of a 50km hyperloop corridor for commercial transport following the successful creation of a 422m test track by IIT Madras with backing from Indian Railways, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced. If built, it could be the world's longest hyperloop track.



"The first tube will go a long way in developing technologies. The time has come when after the first two grants of $1 million each (nearly ₹9 crore), the third grant of $1 million will be given to IIT Madras for further developing the hyperloop project in a nice way. And once we see the commercial or rather pre-commercial where the product is ready, then within the railway set-up we will start the first commercial project. We will decide a site, which can be used for good commercial transportation of 40km-50km and then we will go for it," Vaishnaw said during the closing ceremony of Asia's first Global Hyperloop Competition at IIT Madras.

Sources indicate that the proposed test track for commercial operations will enable the railways to evaluate the feasibility of hyperloop technology, which can achieve speeds of up to 1,200 kmph. The first test track, completed in December last year, will serve as the foundation for further advancements.

Global hyperloop efforts

Hyperloop technology aims to revolutionize travel by drastically cutting journey times between cities, offering a faster alternative to conventional rail and air transport. The concept, first proposed in the 1970s by Swiss professor Marcel Juffer, saw early development efforts by Swissmetro SA in 1992, though the company was liquidated in 2009.

Currently, eight major hyperloop projects are underway worldwide, including Virgin Hyperloop, which has been testing its systems in Nevada, and Canadian firm TransPod, which is constructing a test track to validate its design.

Meanwhile, the railway ministry stated that IIT Madras and Indian Railways will also collaborate on vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles.