ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

Mumbai-Pune in 25 Mins? World’s 1st Hyperloop to Make it Possible

Richard Branson has signed a deal with Maha government to build the world’s first operational hyperloop in Mumbai.

Updated
Tech News
3 min read
story-hero-img
i
Aa
Aa
Small
Aa
Medium
Aa
Large
Hindi Female

Travelers between Mumbai and Pune may soon get rid of their traffic worries, as British business tycoon Richard Branson plans to develop the world’s first operational hyperloop on the route by 2025.

Branson’s investee company Virgin Hyperloop One has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra government to develop and construct a Hyperloop between Mumbai and Pune, reducing the travel time to cover the 140-km distance between the two cities to 14-25 minutes, from 3-4 hours at present.

India may be the first country to have an operational Hyperloop, he said in an interaction with a select group of journalists on the sidelines of Magnetic Maharashtra Global Business Summit in Mumbai.

Richard Branson has signed a deal with Maha government to build the world’s first operational hyperloop in Mumbai.
India may be the first country to have an operational Hyperloop.
(Photo altered by The Quint)
ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD
Hyperloop is a proposed system of transport that would see pods or containers travel at high speeds through a tube that has been pumped into a near-vacuum.   

Speaking on the need for such a system, Branson said: “I have sat in the Indian traffic every time I have come here. It’s not a pleasant experience. And if I were an Indian a lot of my life would be spend sitting in traffic jams.”

The company will take three years to construct a test track. This test track will also be part of the production track. Commercial operations will start in six to seven years, said Branson.

In the last few years, the rail network (in India) has been opened up. Once we get one route up and running, every city in India would be wanting Virgin Hyperloop One.  
Richard Branson, Executive Chairman, Virgin Hyperloop One 
0

Virgin Hyperloop One began its preliminary feasibility in November. In the next six months, it will undertake detailed assessment of environment and engineering requirement before closing the project financing structure, Rob Llyod, chief executive officer of Virgin Hyperloop One, told BloombergQuint.

Richard Branson has signed a deal with Maha government to build the world’s first operational hyperloop in Mumbai.
The 30 minutes route between Las Vegas and Los Angeles is displayed on the Virgin Hyperloop One application at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show.
(Photo courtesy: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg)
Snapshot

“The company hopes to transport 10,000 people per hour in two-way traffic. Our break-even is lower than this, said Llyod. The fare pricing will be comparable to any alternate mode of transportation currently,” Llyod added.

On acquiring land for the project, Branson said the company won’t be requiring the right of way since the hyperloop will be along the Mumbai-Pune expressway as much as possible.

The route is one of the most profitable route ever, said Llyod. The entire project will be privately funded. “We may look at investors for this project and offer them other route projects as we take up,” Branson added.

ADVERTISEMENTREMOVE AD

It will have two sources of revenues passenger traffic and light cargo. The company hopes to substitute a large part of 120 million cars that travel between Mumbai and Pune annually, said Branson.

In addition to Mumbai, Virgin Hyperloop One is in discussion with Andhra Pradesh government for its new capital city and with Karnataka state government, Branson said.

(This article has been published in an arrangement with the BloombergQuint.)

(The Quint, in association with BitGiving, has launched a crowdfunding campaign for an 8-month-old who was raped in Delhi on 28 January 2018. The baby girl, who we will refer to as 'Chhutki', was allegedly raped by her 28-year-old cousin when her parents were away. She has been discharged from AIIMS hospital after undergoing three surgeries, but needs more medical treatment in order to heal completely. Her parents hail from a low-income group and have stopped going to work so that they can take care of the baby. You can help cover Chhutki's medical expenses and secure her future. Every little bit counts. Click here to donate.)

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

Read Latest News and Breaking News at The Quint, browse for more from tech-and-auto and tech-news

Topics:  Delhi   India   Mumbai 

Published: 
Speaking truth to power requires allies like you.
Become a Member
3 months
12 months
12 months
Check Member Benefits
Read More
×
×