Bibop Gresta held discussions with CRDA Principal Secretary

A delegation of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) led by its chairman Bibop Gresta held discussions with Principal Secretary (infrastructure and investment and CRDA) Ajay Jain, CRDA Commissioner Cherukuri Sreedhar and other officials on the modalities of the 900-km long futuristic hyperloop facility proposed to be set up in the State, on Friday.

They suggested that a pilot project could be taken up in Amaravati before expanding it to Vijayawada, and then to Visakhapatnam and Anantapur in the later stages. Mr. Jain asked for a report on its techno-economic feasibility.

High speed

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Gresta said a hyperloop can cover a distance — for which a train requires eight hours, a car six hours, high-speed rail three hours and an aeroplane 1 1/2 hour, in just 35 minutes.

Steps were taken for constructing hyper loops in the USA, United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, France and some other countries. Construction of a hyperloop, which runs on electromagnetic levitation and reaches a peak velocity of approximately 1225 kilometres per hour, costs just up to $40 million per kilometre compared to $120 million for a metro rail and between $40 million to $150 million entailed by a high-speed rail, Mr. Gresta added.

AP-Economic Development Board CEO J. Krishna Kishore and CRDA principal planner (traffic and transportation) N.R. Aravind were among those present.