BENGALURU: Imagine commuting from the city to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in a flash. The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Virgin Hyperloop on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a feasibility study to link Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) with the city with super high-speed hyperloop transportation. If the project takes off, this will be the first hyperloop transportation system in India.
This mode of transportation uses electric propulsion and electromagnetic levitation under near-vacuum conditions. With speeds of up to 1,080 kmph, the hyperloop can transport thousands of passengers per hour from the airport to the city in under 10 minutes, according to a preliminary analysis. Travellers can also streamline their multimodal trip with seamless check-in and security for both their hyperloop as well as air travel at centrally-located hyperloop portals.
Virgin Hyperloop, an American transportation technology company which works to commercialise the high-speed hyperloop technology concept, claims to be the only company in the world that has successfully tested the technology at scale, launching the first new mode of mass transportation in over 100 years.
The company successfully operated a full-scale hyperloop vehicle using electric propulsion and electromagnetic levitation under near-vacuum conditions in Texas, US, realizing a fundamentally new form of transportation that is faster, safer, cheaper, and more sustainable than existing modes. The company is now working with governments, partners, and investors around the world to make hyperloop transportation a reality in a few years.
‘Hyperloop may help tackle traffic congestion’
According to the MoU, the pre-feasibility study, which focuses on technical, economic and route planning, is expected to be completed in two phases, each of six months. “The commissioning of the feasibility study for hyperloop connectivity from KIA is another major step towards building the infrastructure required to define mobility for the future, enabling efficient movement of people,” said Karnataka Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar.
Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop and Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said, “We are exploring ways in which the hyperloop can become a part of the solution to tackle congestion and support economic growth in Bengaluru. Beyond just the transit of passengers, airports are crucial conduit for goods, especially time-sensitive deliveries.
A hyperloop-connected airport will dramatically improve the delivery of cargo and create an ultra-efficient supply chain.” The MoU was exchanged virtually between Sultan bin Sulayem, and Vijay Bhaskar, who is also Chairman of the Board of Directors at BIAL, in the presence of Kapil Mohan, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development Department, Karnataka. “Technological innovation is key to building and sustaining a world-class transportation hub, and this (feasibility) study is an important step forward,” said Hari Marar, MD and CEO, BIAL. Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop, said, “A hyperloop- enabled airport will not only allow faster travel, it will create a 21st century passenger experience and expand airport capacity.” The KIA, a major transit hub in the south, will be connected with the suburban railway in a few weeks and will have Metro connectivity in four years.
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