India's Hyperloop Tube Will 'Soon Be World's Longest': Ashwini Vaishnaw Drops New Update

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has shared a new video of India's first hyperloop test track. This futuristic transportation technology aims to revolutionise public mobility. Developed by IIT-Madras, the 410-metre tube facility will soon be the "longest" in the world, Vaishnaw said on Mar. 16.

In the video shared on X (formerly Twitter), Vaishnaw is seen interacting with the team of researchers at IIT Madras as they test the pod (vehicles or capsules to carry passengers). The project, currently in its development stage, recently received the third tranche of funding of a $1 million grant from the Indian Railways.

Hyperloop is a tube-based transportation system that allows a pod to travel at near-vacuum speed. The technology relies on the pod operating in a "levitation" mode, where magnetic fields lift the vehicle above the track, minimizing friction. Researchers at IIT Madras have assembled 410 meters of tube track so far, with plans to extend it by another 40 meters This would make India's Avishkar hyperloop the world's longest hyperloop tube. The tube has a thickness of 6 mm and a diameter of 2 meters.

The IIT-Madras team has named the pod Garuda, referring to the 'vahana' or vehicle of the revered Hindu god Vishnu.

Once realised, this concept can allow trains to travel in near-vacuum tubes at speeds exceeding 1,000 km/hour. This would technically mean that the distance between cities like Delhi and Jaipur (300 km) can be reduced to less than 30 minutes.

Construction major Larsen & Toubro and ArcelorMittal are two prominent companies involved in the project being developed by researchers at IIT Madras. 

Hyperloop technology is also being explored in other parts of the world including Germany and China. Popularised over a decade ago, the ultra-high-speed transport system is also a key project of The Boring Company, founded by Elon Musk.

Notably, Netherlands-based hyperloop company Hardt has successfully conducted a test run of its pod in Veendam, while another company, TUM Hyperloop, have a certified passenger-size pod vehicle ready.