Virgin, Maharashtra sign hyperloop pact for Mumbai-Pune link

The first hyperloop route will link central Pune with the megapolis as well as the Navi Mumbai international airport, the foundation stone for which was laid by Prime Minister Narenda Modi this evening. “We have signed an agreement with Maharashtra  to build a Virgin Hyperloop between Mumbai and Pune, beginning with an operational demonstration track in the region,” Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson said at the Magnetic Maharashtra investor summit here on Sunday. With easier access to airport gates, the loop will  be able to ferry 150 million passengers every year. 

“The proposed hyperloop transportation system  will transform the transportation system and make Maharashtra a global pioneer in the space. The socioeconomic benefits of the project is USD 55 billion,” Branson said, claiming that the project will create thousands of jobs.

Details such as the project cost and a time-line are yet to be announced. The hyperloop route will be a fully electric system and will have the capability travel up to 1,000 km per hour. The proposed project will begin after a six-month indepth feasibility study which will analyse and define the route alignment, including environmental impact, economic and commercial viability, the regulatory framework, and cost and funding model suggestions.