Maharashtra, India is moving forward to make the world’s first “hyperloop” transportation system, which could theoretically transport people at speeds up to 750 mph, a reality.
State officials have officially designated the INR 70,000 crore ($10 billion) plan as an infrastructure project and expect to launch a formal bidding process for its construction in the near future, media sources say.
The project would connect the cities of Pune and Mumbai, reducing the 3.5-hour drive to a mere 35 minutes. The route is one of the country’s busiest, with 75 million passenger journeys per year. Upon completion, the hyperloop would transport around 200 million people annually.
Hyperloops are sealed vacuum tubes which remove friction and air resistance to propel people and objects at high-speeds. If successfully created, the “futuristic” transport system has the potential to completely replace rail infrastructure and revolutionize transportation.
Virgin Hyperloop One and its partner DP World are the originators of the infrastructure project, with DP committing $500 million to the project.
Phase one will involve a 7.33-mile track to be constructed over two and a half years for around INR 5,000 crore ($724 million).
It is still unclear how the rest of the project will be funded, but officials say no taxpayer money will be spent.
“This project would mark the beginning of a new era in the country’s transport sector,” said the Maharashtra government in a statement on July 31.
