The Indian Institute of Technology Madras organised Parivahan, a global hyperloop conference (GHC) on April 20 and 21 at its research park.
The first international conference on innovative transportation was organised in the run up to the global hyperloop competition that the institute has proposed to host next year.
The conference was aimed at introducing the futuristic concept of hyperloop to India and the meet offered a platform for innovative teams and showcased hyperloop concepts worldwide.
Hyperloop, a high-speed transportation system for long-distance travel, is referred to as the fifth mode of transport. An electromagnetically levitating pod within a vaccuum tube that eliminates friction and air drag, allowing the pod to reach speeds up to Mac 1.0. The pod will move at twice the speed of a plane with low power consumption and energy storage for 24-hour operation.
Hyperloop pod is considered a sustainable mode of transportation that is immune to weather and offers collision-free commute. Jaya Varma Sinha, chief executive officer of Ministry of Railways, said the mode would reduce travel time and enhance connectivity besides unlocking economic opportunities. She announced that IIT Madras would organise the global hyperloop competition in 2025. The institute is constructing a 400 m tube for the purpose.
Sridhar Vembu, CEO of Zoho Corporation, suggested targeting large corporate companies and universities to offer personalised transport. Institute director V. Kamakoti said the institute believed that the journey would be “technically rewarding, commercially productive and globally useful.”
S.R. Chakravarthy, faculty advisor of Team Avishkar Hyperloop at the institute, said the institute was providing a 422 m long tube to conduct the competition.
