The Mumbai-Pune commute which usually takes three hours will soon be reduced to just 15 minutes, as the Maharashtra government’s Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) and Richard Branson-backed Virgin Hyperloop One signed a Memorandum of Understanding last week to identify potential routes and analyse the economic impact and technical viability of Hyperloop transportation system.

In hyperloop technology,  a pod-like vehicle carrying passengers or cargo is pushed through near-vacuum filled tubes at around 1,000km an hour. The fast commute may soon become a reality if the study yields positive results.

For hyperloop to be commercially viable, it requires high-density traffic. Mumbai is the most populous city in India while Pune is the seventh most populous city, hence the route between the two cities is an optimal route with high density.

 Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “By reducing travel time to less than 20 minutes, a hyperloop route will help intensify the connectivity between the metropolitan regions of Pune and Mumbai, transforming the two cities into India’s first and largest Megapolis.”

The company said that the Maharashtra government will be informed about the progress of the study conducted to analyze the applicability and benefits of hyperloop technology, identify high priority routes within the state based on demand analysis and socio-economic benefits.