NEW DELHI: India has taken a significant step toward embracing the futuristic Hyperloop era, aiming to revolutionise train transportation with ultra-high-speed systems.
After years of collaborative and sustained efforts, India’s first Hyperloop test track was completed on Thursday at IIT-Madras’ Discovery Campus in Thaiyur, Tamil Nadu. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the milestone on his ‘X’ handle, celebrating this achievement as a testament to innovation and technological advancement in the country.
The project is a result of a strategic partnership between Indian Railways (IR), IIT-Madras, the Avishkar Hyperloop team, and the startup TurTr, incubated at IIT-Madras. The test track, spanning 410 meters and built using over 400 tons of steel, is a critical step in demonstrating the feasibility of this cutting-edge transportation technology in India.
Hyperloop technology basically represents a groundbreaking mode of transportation where high-speed trains travel through near-vacuum tubes, drastically reducing air resistance and enabling speeds that rival those of aeroplanes.
The trial run on Thursday reached a speed of 100 km/h, marking the beginning of a journey toward achieving a target speed of 600kmph to 1,000 km/h in the future. The system is designed to offer a sustainable, carbon-neutral alternative to conventional transportation methods, potentially transforming how people and goods move across the country.
The initiative builds on a 2022 announcement by the Union Railway Minister during his visit to IIT-Madras, where he had announced to establish a Center of Excellence for Hyperloop Technology. The Ministry of Railways has committed Rs 8.34 crore to support this endeavor, highlighting the government’s commitment to fostering advanced transportation solutions. During his visit, the minister had a wider interaction with the Avishkar Hyperloop team, praising their vision and efforts in advancing the project.
While the Hyperloop promises unparalleled speed and efficiency, experts acknowledge that realizing this technology on a commercial scale in India will be challenging. A senior railway official remarked, “Though initially it sounds a bit difficult for a country like India, wherein even the bullet train project is at the nascent stage, the Hyperloop project may take longer but will certainly come true."
He added that the successful completion of the test track signals a significant leap forward, paving the way for a transformative mode of transportation that combines the speed of air travel with the sustainability of rail, holding immense potential for the future of Indian transportation.