The Andhra Pradesh government plans to connect Vijayawada and Amaravati by Hyperloop – a proposed mode of transportation – for both passengers and goods – that was first pitched by Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk in 2012. The government on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with United States-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies to develop the route.

Hyperloop involves high-speed movement in capsule-like vehicles through a pressurised tube. It has not been implemented for practical purposes yet and is still only at the trial stage across the world.

This is expected to convert the one-hour trip between the two cities into a five-minute ride. Hyperloop Transportation Tech expects to create 2,500 jobs with this project, which will use a Public-Private Partnership model with funding primarily from private investors.

Hyperloop Transportation Technologies
Hyperloop Transportation Technologies

Touted as the transportation of the future, there’s been buzz around Hyperloop ever since inventor-entrepreneur Elon Musk spoke about it in 2012. This revolutionary system will propel pods through a tube at the speed of an aircraft.

HTT Chairman and Co-founder Bibop Gresta and Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board’s Chief Executive Officer J Krishna Kishore signed the deal. The company will now conduct a six-month feasibility study to “analyse the surrounding cityscapes to create the best route between the two cities”.

The Andhra Pradesh government has been facing many difficulties with transportation in the region. In May 2017, the Centre had refused to approve the Rs 6,847-crore proposed Vijayawada metro rail project as it was unsure of its financial viability.