Gadkari's mega mobility plan: Hyperloop, electric buses and ropeways on fast track

UNION Minister Nitin Gadkari has unveiled an ambitious roadmap for next-generation mass mobility in the country, which includes electric rapid transport, hyperloop in urban areas and ropeways, cable buses and funicular railways in inaccessible terrains.

- NAMITA TEWARI

In an interview with PTI, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways said India's transport sector is undergoing a major transition, with initiatives like tree bank, mobile-based driving tests, and flex-fuel engines by 11 leading automakers in the pipeline.

Also on the agenda are plans to upgrade 25,000 km of two-lane highways to four lanes, establish an electric mass rapid transport network across major routes and scale up road construction to 100 km per day.

"We are driving innovation. A revolution in mass mobility is underway," Gadkari said.

"Work is progressing at a war footing to transform how India travels, with a focus not just on metropolises but also on remote, inaccessible rural areas. We're building ropeways, cable cars and funicular railways across 360 locations, including Kedarnath. Work has already started on 60 of these projects," he said.

Funicular railways are a system that combines elevator and railway technologies to efficiently transport people and goods up and down inclines. These are particularly useful in mountainous or hilly areas.

Gadkari said the cost of these projects ranges from Rs 200 crore to Rs 5,000 crore and once completed, they will change the face of India.

The minister added that improved road infrastructure will not only boost the economy but will also help in propelling growth and creating jobs.