Indian Railways (IR) have floated an Expression of Interest (EoI) for designing, building, commissioning, operation, running and maintenance of levitation based train system on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis. The salient features of the levitation based transportation system are as under:- 

It is planned to be built on either elevated columns or underground. 

Very high speeds can be achieved in such a ground based transport system. 

The Specially designed vehicle carrying passengers / goods shall float above track or ground magnets by using principle of magnet attraction / repulsion. 

Riding comfort of such vehicles is expected to be very good. 

The levitation based trains shall be powered by electricity. 

IR is aware that the current infrastructure cannot be utilized for levitation based transport system. IR’s initial thrust is on setting up a technology demonstration system of limited length to begin with. Thereafter it is planned to jointly develop and build a cost-effective solution of such a technology in collaboration with the chosen technology partner / partners. The responses of various Firms received against the Expression of Interest (EoI) are being studied/examined from various aspects which includes electrical requirement for the levitation based train system also. 

The project is envisaged to be implemented on PPP basis. 

This Press Release is based on the information given by the Minister of State for Railways Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 22.03.2017 (Wednesday). 

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AKS/MKV/AK/SM