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MVA govt’s decision to scrap hyperloop project is anti-development, says BJP
The hyperloop project was targeted to cut down commute time between the two cities 140 km apart - Mumbai and Pune - down to 25 minutes
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reacted sharply to the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s decision to scrap the Pune-Mumbai hyperloop project, while activists have welcomed it.
BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said, “The state government has taken an anti-development and blindfolded decision by scrapping various development projects initiated by the previous government. These projects have been initiated for the welfare of people and if the present government wants to scrap them it will be a loss for the people.”
Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra and Pune district guardian minister, while taking a review of development projects in the district on Friday, said, “Hyperloop is nowhere in the world. Let it happen somewhere else. Let it become successful for at least a 10 km distance somewhere abroad. We do not have the capacity to experiment with hyperloop. We will concentrate on other modes of transport and, in the meantime, if that technology develops more with successful trials abroad, we can think about it.”
The hyperloop project was targeted to cut down commute time between the two cities 140 km apart - Mumbai and Pune - down to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, Vijay Kumbhar, right to information (RTI) activist, welcomed Pawar’s decision of scrapping the hyperloop project. He said, “The project was not feasible and it was not in the interests of the people. Its structure and expenditure were not compatible with the requirements of the time.”
The mega project was approved by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis last year. The former chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan too had expressed strong reservations on the project.
Hyperloop project so far
-The Hyperloop Project was called the Future of transportation and was approved by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis last year.
- Hyperloop is high-speed travelling in tubes, where a pod-like vehicle travels through a tube at a speed which is more than the usual airline speed.
- The Maharashtra government is exploring the transportation technology (hyperloop) for the Pune-Mumbai route with an aim to reduce the travel time to just 25 minutes each way
- Virgin Hyperloop One has completed the pre-feasibility study for the Pune-Mumbai route
- The hyperloop will be able to move 10,000 passengers an hour and 150 million passengers a year once fully operational, said the Virgin Group Founder and Virgin Hyperloop One chairman
- It is capable of reaching speeds up to 1,000 kmph and will also connect the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai airports.
- Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis took initiative for this project and visited the US to inspect the project and track.
