Virgin Hyperloop One signs MoU with Government of Maharashtra for preliminary study

Copyright © 2016 Hyperloop One

The US-based company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) to identify potential routes and analyse the high-level economic impact and technical viability of hyperloop transportation solutions in India.

Virgin Hyperloop One will work with its partners in the region and the PMRDA will help navigate the regulatory requirements and support the report with data. The preliminary study is intended to analyse the applicability and benefits of hyperloop technology, identify high priority routes within the State based on demand analysis and socio-economic benefits, and inform the Government of Maharashtra in any future decision to progress to the full project stage.

Virgin Hyperloop One will improve economic competitiveness, reduce congestion and emissions, and provide citizens with greater social and economic mobility. Apart from India, Virgin Hyperloop One is working on projects in countries like the UAE, U.S., Canada, Finland, and the Netherlands.

Looking at the present traffic scenario in Mumbai, Virgin Hyperloop One could reinvent and transform transportation in Maharashtra as it redefines speed with minimal time consumption. A hyperloop solution could revolutionise the transport experience. For example:

• It would take just 14 minutes to travel between Mumbai and the fast-growing city of Pune, a journey that currently takes up to three hours by car
• It could also streamline airport connectivity, such as connecting Pune’s new Purandar Airport to the city centre or Navi Mumbai International Airport to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
• It could look at connecting Nagpur, which is in the easternmost part of Maharashtra, with Mumbai and Pune to vastly improve passenger and freight transportation.

India has been facing major transportation challenges. According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, 65 per cent of India’s freight is transported on the country’s strained and congested road networks. With speeds two to three times faster than high-speed rail, and being fully autonomous, hyperloop technology could deliver a 300km commute in under 20 minutes and address many of these issues.