Ashwini Vaishnaw Shares Video Of India's Hyperloop Tube, Soon To Be "World's Longest"

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently visited the Hyperloop testing facility at IIT Madras, where he announced that the Hyperloop tube being developed will soon become the world's longest, stretching 410 meters in length. The minister witnessed a live demonstration of the Hyperloop tube at the testing facility at IIT Madras Discovery Campus in Chennai. Currently, the 410-meter-long Hyperloop test tube at IIT Madras holds the title of Asia's longest Hyperloop test facility. 

"This is one of the longest tubes in Asia at 410 metres. Another 40 metres will be added, then it will become the longest in the world," Mr Vaishnaw said. 

The Hyperloop technology, conceptualised by Elon Musk in 2013, is a high-speed transportation system that uses vacuum-sealed tubes to propel pods at speeds over 1,000 km/h. This innovative mode of transportation has the potential to revolutionise travel, making it faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly.

During his visit, Mr Vaishnaw also revealed plans to develop electronic components for the Hyperloop at Chennai's Integral Coach Factory, highlighting India's commitment to indigenous technology development. Sharing a live demonstration of the Hyperloop on his Instagram account, he wrote, "Longest Hyperloop tube in Asia (410 m)… soon to be the world's longest."

Watch the video here:

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A post shared by Ashwini Vaishnaw (@ashwini.vaishnaw)

Notably, the Ministry of Railways allocated Rs 8.34 crore to IIT Madras in May 2022 to drive indigenous development and validation of Hyperloop technology. The Union Minister expressed optimism about India's readiness to adopt Hyperloop transportation, citing promising results from ongoing tests. 

He said that the entire testing system for Hyperloop transportation has been developed using indigenous technologies, and he congratulated all the young innovators for this achievement.

Congratulating IIT Madras on its cutting-edge innovations, Mr Vaishnaw said, "This place is so full of so much energy that I cannot describe it. I'm so happy to see young, energetic engineers working on this new technology and doing new experiments. We are providing only small help. I think that this will really lead us to some good solutions for the country, for our people, for our start-ups and the world of technology as well."

The Hyperloop Technology and IIT Madras

Hyperloop technology, conceptualized by Elon Musk in 2013, represents the 5th mode of transportation, enabling high-speed travel in a near-vacuum tube. By minimizing air resistance, the capsule can reach speeds exceeding 1000 km/h, revolutionising the future of transportation.

IIT Madras has been at the forefront of hyperloop research for the past seven years, significantly contributing to the field. The institute's cutting-edge facilities, including the 422-meter-long operational student-run hyperloop test tube and track at Discovery Campus, have significantly contributed to advancing the field. IIT Madras also recently hosted Asia's first Global Hyperloop Competition, supported by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India.

TuTr Hyperloop, a deep-tech incubated startup at IIT Madras, is set to launch the world's first commercial hyperloop technology-based project in India next month. This historic milestone marks a significant step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047.