Committee on Hyperloop Technology
NITI Aayog has formed a high-level panel to explore the technological and commercial viability of the Hyperloop technology in India.
What is Hyperloop?
Hyperloop is a mode of ultra-fast mass transportation solution that transports people and cargo through a pod in vacuum environment. It was first used to describe design of vaccum tube train jointly released by SpaceX and Tesla. Hyperloop was first publicly mentioned by Eon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, in the year 2012. This technology if implemented can reduce travel times considerably.
Key Points
- The committee has NITI Aayog member VK Saraswat as its Chairman and Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha as Convener. Railway Board Chairman & CEO VK Yadav, DRDO Chairman and other experts are present in the Committee.
- The committee has mandated to study hyperloop technology and finalize the documents within 6 months.
- This comes after the successful completion of first test with humans onboard.
- The Virgin Hyperloop recently conducted a test run in Las Vegas in the USA with the hyperloop vehicle (pod), travelling with passengers inside an enclosed tube, at more than 161 kmph. The passengers also included an Indian.
- Virgin Hyperloop, which is presently working on a proposed Mumbai-Pune hyperloop project, has also partnered with Bangalore International Airports and Punjab’s state department.
- Virgin Hyperloop is a American transportation technology company which is working towards commercializing hyperloop.
The report of the NITI Aayog committee can set a roadmap for hyperloop technology in India.
NITI Aayog
The NITI Aayog i.e. National Institution for Transforming India was formed on 1st January, 2015. It is the think thank of the country. It replaced the Planning Commission of India, which was constituted in 1950. The chairmanship of the NITI Aayog is held by the Prime Minister of the country.