Skip to main content

Virgin Hyperloop signs MoU with Government of Maharashtra on preliminary study

Virgin Hyperloop One has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Maharashtra to conduct a preliminary study in the Indian region. The test aims 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 in any future decision to progress to the full project stage. Hyperloop One could benefit passengers by reducing a three hour car journey from Mumbai
November 17, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Virgin Hyperloop One has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Maharashtra to conduct a preliminary study in the Indian region. The test aims 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 any future decision to progress to the full project stage.

Hyperloop One could benefit passengers by reducing a three hour car journey from Mumbai to Prune to 14 minutes. In addition, it has the potential to streamline airport connectivity, such as connecting Pune's new Purandar Airport to the city center or Navi Mumbai International Airport to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. To improve passenger and freight transportation, it could also look at connecting Nagpur, which is in the easternmost part of Maharashtra, with Mumbai and Pune.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, 65% of freight is transported on the country’s congested road networks.

Hon. chief minister of Maharashtra, Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, said: A hyperloop route requires high-density traffic to become viable as a means of rapid public transit. Mumbai and Pune, the most and seventh most populous cities in India respectively, have the potential to provide an optimal route with a high density. By reducing travel time to under 20 minutes, a hyperloop route will help intensify the connectivity between the metropolitan regions of Pune and Mumbai, transforming the two cities into India's first and largest Megapolis,".

Related Content

  • Authorities look to MaaS for new solutions and cost savings
    July 18, 2017
    The structure of society and the way in which our cities work will be completely transformed by Mobility as a Service (MaaS), Finland’s minister of transport and communications Anne Berner, told ITS International’s recent MaaS Market conference 2017 in London. In her keynote address, Berner told a packed audience of more than 200 ITS professionals that MaaS has the potential to help governments around the world meet their big city targets such as the rate of employment, the environment, the efficient use of
  • Rise of smart cities spawns market for smart vehicle technology in the US
    November 15, 2013
    According to recent research by Frost & Sullivan, there is a palpable reorientation of purchasing habits among American citizens as the country continues its march toward urbanism. In the future, 85 percent of the country’s population is anticipated to live in urban areas, while North America could see the emergence of three mega cities, eleven mega regions, and seven smart cities by 2025. One of the biggest gainers of this massive-scale urbanisation is the automotive industry, particularly autonomous drivi
  • HMI and Transmax examine advances in traffic management, ITS and AVs
    November 14, 2017
    HMI Technologies (HMI) has partnered with Transmax to examine advances in traffic management, intelligent transport systems (ITS) and autonomous vehicles (AVs). Delivering safety and efficiencies potential of connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) by connecting them with traffic management systems through ITS infrastructure such as beacons and radar will be a key focus of the agreement.
  • Insight into China's smart cities initiatives
    April 25, 2013
    Schneider Electric, which has been playing an active role in smart transportation systems in China since 1990, provides an insight into smart city initiatives in the country. Today, most cities across the world are facing unprecedented growth, which questions the viability of the current development model. They are immersed in a competition with each other, both domestically and internationally, in terms of investments, jobs and talents. Cities need to become more attractive and intelligent by becoming more