Chennai: India is set to make history with its first long-distance hyperloop system, as the Ministry of Railways approves a 40-km project. This futuristic transport, using magnetic levitation, will be developed at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, based on IIT Madras research.
Coinciding with the upcoming launch of the world’s first commercial hyperloop by TuTr Hyperloop, the project aims to cut Bengaluru-Chennai travel time to 30 minutes. Hyperloop technology propels pods through a low-pressure tube, reaching speeds over 1,000 km/h.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, after reviewing the project in Chennai, assured full government support, highlighting its potential to revolutionize mobility. He also inaugurated a Jetwork Electronics manufacturing hub and emphasized India’s growing electronics sector, now the second-largest export contributor.
During his visit to IIT Madras’ testing facility, Vaishnaw inspected Asia’s longest hyperloop test tube (410 meters) and affirmed the Railway Ministry’s technical and financial backing. Experts from ICF, who developed Vande Bharat train systems, will lead the hyperloop’s electronics technology.
With five semiconductor plants operational and India’s first indigenous semiconductor set for launch this year, Vaishnaw credited skilled youth for driving innovation. IIT Madras Director, Professor V. Kamakoti, called hyperloop the next-generation, sustainable, and cost-effective transport, thanking the government for its support.
Longest Hyperloop tube in Asia (410 m)… soon to be the world’s longest.@iitmadras pic.twitter.com/kYknzfO38l
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) March 16, 2025