Hyperloop, the designer of future concepts of future mass rapid transportation, has approached the Indian government for land to test its revolutionary concept. The company proposes to set up Hyperloop on Mumbai-Pune Expressway to test run its concept.
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has made a formal proposal to the Indian Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari about setting up a pilot project in the country. CEO, Bipop Gresta, clarified that his company is not seeking funds and if they want to invest an arrangement for a private–public partnership can be made. However in case they don’t want to invest, the company will face no problem since it has enough private investors. What is more important is the present situation of land which is meaningful.
If everything goes through smoothly, it will still take eight months to do a feasibility test and another two and a half years to get all the permits and the transportation service is launched. Hyperloops are the future of MRTS since there is no need for additional land and they could be built alongside existing highways. The technology also uses less energy and hence will have a much smaller carbon signature.
What’s Hyperloop?
Hyperloop is a concept where a capsule-like vehicle is enclosed in a tube and run in near vacuum. Speeds of 1200 Km hr can easily reach using less energy than conventional methods of transportation. The technology has support from futurists like Elon Musk and Tesla.
The technology is notoriously simple- an electric motor accelerates and decelerates a levitated pod in a low-pressure tube. The vehicle glides silently without any turbulence. The technology was demonstrated in May 2016, and the full system will be tested in 2017. Routes have been developed in five nations and the year 2020 has been set to start moving cargo and year 2021 to start passenger services.
