Mumbai-Pune in 25 Minutes: IIT Madras Achieves Major Milestone in Hyperloop Development

Mumbai/Pune, 7th December 2024: Picture travelling between Mumbai and Pune in just 25 minutes, speeding through a low-pressure tube in a high-speed Hyperloop pod — a futuristic concept that could soon become reality, thanks to the innovative efforts of IIT Madras. The system would travel at speeds of 1,000 km/h or even faster.

IIT Madras recently achieved a significant milestone in transportation innovation by completing a 410-meter test track for the Hyperloop, marking India’s first experiment with this cutting-edge technology.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the announcement on Thursday, posting a video showcasing the completed track and expressing his congratulations on social media.

“India’s first Hyperloop test track (410 meters) completed. Kudos to Team Railways, IIT-Madras’ Avishkar Hyperloop team, and TuTr (an incubated startup),” he wrote on X.

The project is led by IIT Madras’s Avishkar Hyperloop team, in partnership with TuTr, a startup incubated within the institute’s innovation ecosystem. The Avishkar Hyperloop team consists of 76 undergraduate and postgraduate students working to develop and test this revolutionary technology.

The plan to implement the system is structured in two phases. The first phase focuses on creating an 11.5-kilometre test track to demonstrate the system’s viability and reliability. After successful validation, the second phase will expand the test track to approximately 100 kilometres, paving the way for large-scale applications.

The Mumbai-Pune corridor has been chosen as the potential location for India’s first full-scale Hyperloop system. If successful, this project could cut the travel time between the two cities to just 25 minutes, surpassing even air travel in speed.

Pune-based Quintrans Hyperloop is set to launch its first operational hyperloop cargo system by 2027-28, as reported in the media. This advanced transportation system is expected to provide ultra-high-speed inter-city connectivity between major Indian cities like Mumbai and Pune, Chennai and Bengaluru, and Delhi and Chandigarh.

The Hyperloop promises several advantages, including drastically reduced travel time. A journey between Mumbai and Pune could take under 25 minutes, faster than air travel. Ticket prices are projected to range between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 for a one-way ticket, about half the cost of a direct flight.

Quintrans Hyperloop is currently constructing a 100-meter pilot facility in Pune to test and showcase its technology.

First proposed by Elon Musk in 2012, the Hyperloop concept has gained significant global attention as a potential game-changer in transportation.

The Hyperloop system involves high-speed pods, which travel through low-pressure tubes at incredible speeds. Each pod, designed to carry 24 to 28 passengers, allows for non-stop, direct travel from point to point. This innovative transport solution is seen as a promising way to meet the growing need for efficient, sustainable transportation. India’s efforts in Hyperloop technology represent a major step toward the future of transport systems.

Hyperloop trains are expected to reach speeds of up to 1,100 km/h, with an operational cruising speed of around 360 km/h. The vacuum-sealed tubes significantly reduce friction, allowing for exceptional speed and energy efficiency.