Hyperloop is a new form of transportation that moves people quickly and safely. Passengers are loaded into the hyperloop vehicle via electric propulsion through low-pressure tubes. The pods carrying passengers travel through tubes from which most of the air has been removed to reduce friction. This allows the pods to travel at up to 750 miles per hour, rather than using the wheel like in train the pods are designed to float on air skis by using magnetic levitation to reduce friction.
Does India Really Need the Hyperloop Transportation?
India is a developing country and a growing global economy requires faster, cheaper, safer and more efficient mode of transportation and will help the ecosystem as well. Transport vehicle has created a huge level of pollution which makes difficult to breathe in large cities of India. Where India has also planned to switch or to reduce the use of non-renewable source as much possible. In such a case, Hyperloop is one of the best transport communications. In the long run, the Hyperloop ecosystem can also give lots of profit to India and it doesn’t need to be subsidized. Even private investors can invest their money in it.
But the main question arises that how far India has invested in this project; does this investment will give more emphasis to the Transport Industries?
Mumbai-Pune project will cost around 3,50,000 crore (55billion USD) and will carry only 28 commuters at a time whereas if we really want to invest in transportation technology we can invest in bullet train project which will cost us 17 billion USD and will carry much more number of passengers at a time as compared to hyperloop and at this time our country is already facing deficit pf finance, it needs to be asked if there is really a need to invest lakhs of crores for experimental transportation technology instead of promoting our existing resources. There is no disagreement about the benefits of the technology if we ignore the cost.
Current scenario of Hyperloop in India
Pune-Mumbai hyperloop project goes from a vision to reality as it starts detailed planning. This transport connectivity will connect the 26 million people with access to affordable infrastructure that will highly boost the significant economic and social value. The Pune-Mumbai Hyperloop is expected to finish this summer as it has currently reached the mid-point of the in-depth feasibility study. Andhra Pradesh government and US-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) have joined hand to introduce the Hyperloop transportation system in upcoming future in the state capital region, Amrawati. This will cover the distance of over 35 km only in five minutes.
But whatever happens, happens for a reason keep that in mind the state government has gone ahead and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Richard Branson’s Virgin Air to build a Hyperloop-based transportation system between Mumbai and Pune. On 18 June 2018 Shri Devendra Fadnavis Chief Minister of Maharashtra met to the board members at Virgin Hyperloop One’s developing test tracks to view technology. If everything goes as per plan general public can travel from Mumbai to Pune within 25 min where usually it takes 2.5-3 hours by road and it will reduce the cost to the environmental assessment as the project will be completely self-powered with electricity generated by solar panels, it can reduce greenhouse emission by up to 1,50,000 tons annually.
Now, if we are talking about enhancement in the technology of our developing country we need to keep in mind about our focused project which is “Make In India” launched by our Prime Minister in September 2014.
