Wow! In a few years time Hyperloop, the latest tube technology that is being tested around the world, could start plying in Karnataka. Virgin Hyperloop One has signed an MoU with the state government of Karnataka to conduct a preliminary study. The Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with the Karnataka Urban Development Department (KUDD). It aims to identify potential routes to improve mobility in Bengaluru metropolitan area. The idea is to connect cities such as Tumakuru, Hubli-Dharwad and Hosur.
Virgin Hyperloop One says that it has already built and successfully tested a full-scale hyperloop system at its test track in the Nevada desert. The company is is hopeful that with the successful implementation of the new technology here, the travel time between major cities in India can eventually be cut down to just two hours! Virgin Hyperloop One aims to eventually link Bengaluru, Karnataka’s IT hubs and industrial parks and also provide better connectivity between fast-growing industrial hubs such as Tumakuru, Hubli-Dharwad, Hosur. “Providing Bengaluru’s thriving tech and manufacturing employers with greater access to talent and enabling citizens to commute 10X farther in the same amount of time; improving air travel accessibility by connecting Bengaluru’s airport to the city center in minutes; creating freight corridors with surrounding cities, eventually extending to Chennai helping manufacturers to deliver freight to the closest port,” are some of the goals that have been highlighted by Virgin Hyperloop One.
Commenting on the MoU, Karnataka’s ITBT & Tourism minister Priyank Karghe said, “Bengaluru has been the IT hub of the country and all major giants have been functioning out of the region. The introduction of a technology like Hyperloop will further add to the pace at which the state wants to grow.” Nick Earle, SVP Global Field Operations, Virgin Hyperloop One said, “We recognize the vital role of technology in larger initiatives like that of Digital India, and we strongly believe that Virgin Hyperloop One can be a strong addition to this initiative.”
Hyperloop is a “tube modular transport system” that runs free of friction and hence allows travel at very high-speeds in pods. Earlier this year, the Andhra Pradesh government signed an MoU with US-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies to do a feasibility study that would eventually allow for a Hyperloop system in the state that cuts down the travel time between Amaravati and Vijaywada to just 5 minutes!