NEW DELHI: Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Sunday that the Hyperloop project at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras will feature Asia’s longest Hyperloop tube, measuring 410 metres.
He also said that the project is on track to become the world’s longest Hyperloop tube soon.
Vaishnaw, who holds the portfolios of railways, information & broadcasting, and information technology, inspected the project during his short visit to Chennai on March 15.
Sharing a video of his visit, he posted on social media, “Longest Hyperloop tube in Asia (410 meters)… soon to be the world’s longest @iitmadras.”
Hyperloop technology is considered the fifth mode of transportation, involving high-speed pods travelling in a near-vacuum tube. By reducing air resistance, these pods can achieve speeds of over 1,000 km per hour, revolutionising future transportation.
According to Vaishnaw, India is making significant strides in Hyperloop technology, with the entire testing system being developed indigenously. The electronics components for the project will be developed at Chennai’s Integral Coach Factory, further strengthening India’s self-reliance in advanced transportation systems.
The minister also highlighted that tests conducted so far had shown promising results, bringing the country closer to realising Hyperloop transportation.
In May 2022, the ministry of railways approved an allocation of Rs 8.34 crore to IIT Madras for developing and validating the technology.
