tech2 News Staff

Hyperloop One which one of the few companies to work on the first operational hyperloop transportation system, hosted the 'Vision For India' event in New Delhi today. The event was organised to discuss how the company can be a part of India's huge transport network by providing state of the art, reliable, clean, and on-demand autonomous transport. The event saw Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways and Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog speaking in favour of the concept and how they are open to the idea of providing the super fast and efficient mode of transport.

The event also showcased five Hyperloop One Global Challenge semi-finalist teams from India, each of which proposed high-speed transportation routes in India. The teams had to develop regional proposals integrating the transport technology to move passengers and freight from point-to-point smoothly. The Hyperloop One Global Challenge which was announced back in May 2016 inviting teams across the world to put forward viable transport plans covering economical and policy aspects of their respective regions and countries. Out of 2,600 registrants from 90 countries, Hyperloop One has come down to 35 semi-finalists with India leading the way with the highest number of registrants and the most vocal supporters on social media.

The finalists from India include:

AECOM - Bengaluru-to-Chennai: 334 km in 20 minutes. Meeting the demand of a passenger and freight super-corridor growing at 15 percent a year.

LUX Hyperloop Network - Bengaluru-to-Thiruvananthapuram: 736 km in 41 minutes. Connects two major ports in southern India with population centres of Coimbatore and Kochi.

Dinclix GroundWorks - Delhi-to-Mumbai via Jaipur and Indore: 1,317 km in 55 minutes. Freight and passengers. Connects two megacities and creates seaport access for landlocked intermediary cities in the interior.

Hyperloop India - Mumbai-to-Chennai via Bengaluru: 1,102 km. 50 minutes. Phased development for freight and passengers. Boosts capacity at ports of Mumbai and Chennai, creates a Suez Canal-like link between India’s coasts.

Infi-Alpha - Bengaluru to Chennai: 334 km in 20 minutes. Meeting the demand of a passenger and freight super-corridor growing at 15 percent a year. Connects with major airports.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for transforming India and the role he sees of technology in driving this change is indeed remarkable,” said Shervin Pishevar, Executive Chairman of Hyperloop One. “India is an extremely important geography for developing Hyperloop networks and reimagining how cities and regions work. The Prime Minister’s vision of connecting the country is directly aligned with Hyperloop One’s objective of connecting the world. With initiatives such as ‘Make In India’ and ‘Digital India’, we do see ourselves working in this direction in India.”

“Hyperloop One will help accelerate India’s growth towards building substantial infrastructure that is both financially and environmentally sustainable,” said Rob Lloyd, CEO of Hyperloop One. “A transportation system like the Hyperloop will undoubtedly ease the pressure on existing infrastructure while enhancing the quality of life of the people. We are already working with the governments around the world on passenger and freight projects, and we look forward to also partnering with India to support this endeavour.”