Richard Branson-backed Virgin Hyperloop One has partnered with the Karnataka government to conduct a study on the viability of the project.

“We will be conducting a preliminary study to understand Hyperloop's feasibility,” said IT and Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge at the Bengaluru Tech Summit.

Hyperloop is an alternate mode of transportation, which can go up to speeds of 1,300 km/hour.

Potential routes Karnataka Urban Development Department (KUDD) will identify potential routes to improve mobility in the Benguluru metropolitan area and connect cities such as Tumakuru, Hubli-Dharwad and Hosur, Kharge said.

The preliminary study intends to analyse the applicability and benefits of hyperloop technology, identify high priority routes within Karnataka, based on demand analysis and socio-economic benefits.

Futuristic vehicles such as Hyperloop are increasingly being considered by countries globally in a bid to decongest roads as well as tackle the issue of climate change and pollution.

According to Virgin Hyperloop One SVP Global Field Operations, Nick Earle, India is one of the most important geographies for developing hyperloop networks and reimagining the complete transportation system.

“The study will be completed in the next 6-8 weeks and would give us a sense of routes and how economical it can be for Indian commuters,” he said.

‘Ideal for India’ Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, another company which builds the technology for this futuristic-looking train, believes that India is a perfect country to implement this project. The roads are not good and public transportation is broken and not capable of tackling the growing needs of the people to commute,” co-founder Bibop Gresta had said last year.

This MoU follows recent announcements of Virgin Hyperloop's partnership with the government of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh and further expansion to other regions in India.

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