Mumbai to Pune in just 25 minutes at 1,120 kmph? Yes! This may soon become a reality through Hyperloop

Mumbai/Pune: Believe it or not but travel time between Mumbai and Pune may be cut down to 25 minutes!

Yes. You read it right. As of now, Mumbai-Pune journey time is about three hours by train but Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has put forth a new proposal before transport ministry. According to this new proposal, travel time between Mumbai and Pune may be reduced to 25 minutes!

Hyperloop

Hyperloop runs faster than an aircraft at a speed of 1,120 kmph. 

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, a Los Angeles-based company, has designed a new way to move people.

Hyperloop is a concept where a pod-like vehicle travels through a near-vacuum that's contained within a tube.

The firm has asked the transport ministry for land to run a pilot project of its high-speed transportation service. 

Elon Musk-backed Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) co-founder Bibop G Gresta on Tuesday said the company is ready to build hyperloop between Mumbai and Pune, but the decision is left with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to go ahead with the project. 

"Gadkari has a proposal to build the hyperloop on his table and he has to take a decision. If he wants to go ahead with it, we are ready, and it will be a feasibility study to begin with to lay line between Bombay (Mumbai) and Pune," he told media in Bengaluru on the sidelines of the Carnegie Global Technology Summit 2016.

Asked about the regulatory challenges to build hyperloop in India, Gresta said Gadkari, during the meeting, had expressed the Indian Government's willingness to help the company in this regard. 

"I had asked Gadkari to help us with regulatory norms. He (Gadkari) said we are willing to do that," he added.

Among the prominent cities and countries where the hyperloop will be built are California, Utah, Illinois, Florida, Indianapolis, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Spain, France, Slovakia, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Botswana, South Africa, Russia, China, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Australia. 

Gresta said the company has received an investment of over $100 to build hyperloop in these countries and cities around the globe. 

"We have received over 100 million dollars to build hyperloop in as many as 20 countries," he said. Replying to a query, Gresta said the first hyperloop is expected to be launched in Abu Dhabi.

(With agency inputs)