India could soon be home to the revolutionary Hyperloop train

Imagine traveling from Mumbai to Pune in under 30 minutes!

This could become a reality with the introduction of a new futuristic train system in India.

Virgin Hyperloop One, a Los Angeles-based company, was inspired by Elon Musk’s original vision.

The company aims to revolutionize transportation by developing ‘hyperloops’—high-speed pods that transport people quickly through tunnels.

Jay Walder has been appointed as the new CEO of the company, and with Virgin founder Richard Branson as chairman, their goals for the future are highly ambitious.

Their first major project will link Mumbai, India's largest city, with Pune, its ninth-largest, via a hyperloop.

The two cities are located in Maharashtra state, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) apart, and driving between them can take more than four hours due to traffic.

However, Hyperloop promises to reduce that travel time to just 25 minutes.

Walder states, “This is the first groundbreaking transportation technology in a century. Let’s stop just trying to reduce the impact of cars and create something truly revolutionary.”

Despite the media attention Virgin Hyperloop received after its 2014 launch, it has yet to deliver a tangible product.

Walder brings extensive experience in transportation, having previously worked with the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) in New York and Motivate, a bike-sharing company.

The goal isn’t only to shorten commute times. A representative from Hyperloop claims their system will prevent the release of 150,000 tons of carbon emissions annually by replacing car travel.

Harj Dhaliwal, the company's managing director, writes in a blog post, “We have always seen India as a key market for hyperloop. The state of Maharashtra has announced plans to develop a hyperloop route between Mumbai and Pune, starting with a test track.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown strong support for the project and was present at the signing of the deal alongside Richard Branson.