Gadkari Unveils Mobility Plan for Hyperloop, Electric Buses, and Ropeways

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has announced a comprehensive mobility transformation plan for India, featuring hyperloop systems, electric rapid transport, and ropeways across 360 locations. The initiative aims to revolutionize mass transportation in both urban centers and remote areas through advanced technology and infrastructure development.

Gadkari stated that ropeways, cable cars, and funicular railways are being planned across 360 locations, including Kedarnath, with work already initiated on 60 projects. The cost of these projects ranges from Rs 200 crore to Rs 5,000 crore, representing a significant investment in alternative transportation infrastructure.

The plan includes upgrading 25,000 km of two-lane highways to four lanes, establishing an electric mass rapid transport network across major routes, and scaling up road construction to 100 km per day. These infrastructure improvements are designed to enhance connectivity while reducing logistics costs and environmental impact.

Pilot projects for Metrino pod taxis, hyperloop systems, and pillar-based mass rapid transport are proposed for cities like Delhi and Bengaluru. The hyperloop technology, which would enable high-speed travel in low-pressure tubes, represents a significant advancement in urban transportation systems.

The electric bus initiative includes a pilot project in Nagpur featuring a 135-seater electric bus with executive-class seating, air-conditioning, and airline-grade amenities. The bus will be capable of running at speeds of 120-125 km per hour, recharge in 30-40 minutes at designated stops, and is expected to cost 30 percent less than traditional diesel buses while offering lower emissions.

Eleven companies, including Tata, Toyota, Hyundai and Mahindra, have agreed to build flex-fuel engine vehicles that will reduce dependence on fuel imports as well as fossil fuel. Flex-fuel vehicles can operate on multiple fuel types, including ethanol, methanol, biofuels, and conventional fuels.

The transport sector contributes nearly 40 percent to India's air pollution, according to Gadkari, who emphasized that green mobility initiatives will help reduce emissions and the nation's annual fuel import bill of approximately Rs 22 trillion. The minister expects improved road infrastructure to reduce logistics costs from 14 percent of GDP to 9 percent by the end of the year.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has expanded its mandate to include coordination, research, standards, and policy matters for ropeways and other innovative mobility solutions. This administrative change, implemented in 2021, brought alternative transportation technologies under the ministry's purview to facilitate development in remote and inaccessible areas.

Additional infrastructure improvements include the establishment of 670 roadside amenities across national highways, implementation of AI-based road safety tools including drones and camera monitoring systems, and plans to plant 20-25 crore trees along highways. The ministry is also developing a tree bank system in coordination with the Ministry of Environment.

Gadkari expressed confidence that India's highways would match US road standards within a year and predicted that metropolitan areas would soon feature cable-run buses and electric rapid mass transport systems. The comprehensive plan represents a significant shift toward sustainable transportation technology and improved connectivity across India's diverse geographical landscape.