Bengaluru Airport To City Centre In 10 Minutes? MoU Signed On Hyperloop Feasibility

The time taken to travel between Banglore airport to the city centre could reduce to under 10 minutes in the future!

The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Virgin Hyperloop signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a feasibility study for linking Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) with the city with high-speed hyperloop transportation.

Hyperloop is a mode of transportation that uses electric propulsion and electromagnetic levitation under near-vacuum conditions. According to the preliminary analysis done, the hyperloop could transport thousands of passengers per hour from airport to the city centre in under 10 minutes with speeds ranging up to 1,080 km/hour.

The passengers travelling to the Bengaluru airport could streamline their multimodal trip with a seamless check-in and security – for both their hyperloop as well as air travel at centrally-located hyperloop portals. It will allow passengers travelling from the airport to the city to reduce the overall travel time.

Virgin Hyperloop, an American transportation technology company that works to commercialize the high-speed Hyperloop technology concept, claims to be the only company in the world that has successfully tested hyperloop technology at scale, launching the first new mode of mass transportation in over 100 years.

The company successfully operated a full-scale hyperloop vehicle using electric propulsion and electromagnetic levitation under near-vacuum conditions in Texas, realizing a fundamentally new form of transportation that is faster, safer, cheaper, and more sustainable than existing modes.

According to the MoU signed with Bangalore airport, the pre-feasibility study which focuses on technical, economic and route feasibility is expected to be completed in two phases, each of six months.

"The commissioning of the feasibility study for hyperloop connectivity from KIA is another major step towards building the infrastructure required to define mobility for the future, enabling the efficient movement of people," said TM Vijay Bhaskar, Chief Secretary, Karnataka as reported by The New Indian Express.

Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop and Group Chairman and CEO of DP World said, "We are exploring ways in which hyperloop can become a part of the solution to tackle congestion and support economic growth in Bengaluru. Beyond just the transit of passengers, airports are crucial conduit for goods, especially time-sensitive deliveries. A hyperloop-connected airport would dramatically improve the delivery of cargo and create an ultra-efficient supply chain."

The MoU was exchanged virtually between Sultan bin Sulayem, and Vijay Bhaskar, who is also Chairman of the Board of Directors at BIAL, in the presence of Kapil Mohan, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure Development Department, Karnataka.

"Technological innovation is key to building and sustaining a world-class transportation hub, and this (feasibility) study is an important step forward. This mode of transportation offers enormous economic potential, connecting passengers at unprecedented speeds, with zero emissions," said Hari Marar, MD & CEO, BIAL as per the press release.

With this feasibility study, it is expected that travelling from Kempegowda International Airport(KIA) to the city will get easier soon.

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