Tuesday, January 20, 2026
writingonblog uncensored: IIT Madras–incubated startup tests indigenous elec...
writingonblog uncensored: IIT Madras–incubated startup tests indigenous elec...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: In a major boost to India’s push for smarter port logistics, TuTr Hyperloop Pvt. Ltd., an Indian Institute of Te...
IIT Madras–incubated startup tests indigenous electromagnetic cargo system at Kandla port
C Shivakumar @ Chennai:
In a major boost to India’s push for smarter port logistics, TuTr Hyperloop Pvt. Ltd., an Indian Institute of Technology Madras-incubated startup, has successfully demonstrated a prototype cargo transportation system based on Linear Induction Motor (LIM) technology at a major port in Gujarat.
The trial was conducted at Deendayal Port Authority, one of the country’s busiest maritime gateways, giving hope of electrically powered cargo movement systems as ports in India grapple with congestion, rising cargo volumes and tightening environmental norms.
Under pressure to move freight faster while reducing emissions and improving efficiency and productivity, the LIM-based transport, where electrically powered cargo pods travel along fixed tracks using electromagnetic propulsion, has caught the attention of policy-makers and ports.
TuTr co-founder Aravind S. Bharadwaj said the indigenous propulsion system performed as expected during the Kandla tests, marking a key step in taking laboratory research into live industrial settings. Now Tutr is planning to conduct a economic feasibility study on implementing the technology.
Encouraged by the results, the port authority now plans to advance to a live demonstration of a magnetic levitation, or maglev, platform — a move that would position Kandla as a testbed for next-generation port mobility solutions.
Sushil Kumar Singh, chairman of the port authority, said the trial underscored India’s growing capability to design and deploy complex transportation technologies domestically. Supporting a maglev pilot, he added, fits with the port’s long-term vision of building smart, sustainable and globally competitive infrastructure.
LIM systems are fully electric, involve fewer moving parts and can be operated autonomously, helping cut fuel consumption, maintenance costs and emissions. Compared with conventional wheeled systems, LIM-based transport offers smoother acceleration and lower mechanical wear — features well suited to high-throughput port environments.
For TuTr Hyperloop, the deployment represents a milestone in translating academic research into scalable industrial applications. Bharadwaj said the planned linear propoulsion was successful and we are planning for a magalev trial, a natural extension of the company’s roadmap to deliver indigenous mobility solutions for ports and logistics, with scope for adoption in India and overseas.
If the proof of concept scales successfully, the Kandla project could serve as a template for similar collaborations between ports and deep-tech startups, aligning with the Centre’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat agendas to embed home-grown innovation in critical infrastructure.
Saturday, January 10, 2026
writingonblog uncensored: Centre plans Integrated Transport and Logistics Au...
writingonblog uncensored: Centre plans Integrated Transport and Logistics Au...: C Shivakumar @ Chennai: The Union government is planning to establish a centralised authority to steer transport and logistics planning ...
Centre plans Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority to unify infra planning
C Shivakumar @ Chennai:
The Union government is planning to establish a centralised authority to steer transport and logistics planning by proposing the creation of an Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority (ILTA) now under inter-ministerial consultation.
The Tamil Nadu government is currently examining the proposal and is expected to submit its remarks to the Centre by the end of this week, official sources said.
This comes after inputs have been sought from various agencies including Chennai Metro Rail Limited. It is learnt that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has already conveyed its assent.
Under the proposal, ILTA will be set up as a not-for-profit special purpose vehicle under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, to be called the Gati-Shakti Transport & Logistics Planning and Research Authority (GTLPRA). The entity will be wholly owned by Union government and function under the administrative control of the Cabinet Secretariat.
The authority will focus on research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment across the transport and logistics ecosystem. Sources said ILTA is designed to plug a long-standing institutional gap by strengthening evidence-based decision-making and enabling integrated, multimodal planning.
GTLPRA will coordinate with five core infrastructure ministries—the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The idea is to overcome siloed decision-making and leverage multimodal connectivity.
As part of the institutional restructuring, the ULIP and Logistics Data Bank (LDB) teams from National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation will be repositioned under a dedicated Transport Big Data Division within ILTA, along with the associated manpower. This division will anchor data integration, analytics and digital monitoring across transport modes.
Beyond formulating a national Transport Master Plan, the authority will build institutional capacity in transport research, big-data integration, project monitoring and evaluation, while supporting capacity building and the adoption of international best practices.
Sources said a Cabinet note which was forwarded to the state proposes an initial non-recurring grant-in-aid of Rs 500 crore to fund the authority’s establishment and first year of operations, including digital platforms, servers and office infrastructure. This would be followed by annual budgetary support of Rs 250 crore, subject to review by the Cabinet Secretary based on actual expenditure.
In addition to creating ILTA, the proposal seeks Cabinet approval for changes to business allocation rules and a revamp of the infrastructure appraisal framework involving the Public Investment Board, NITI Aayog and the Network Planning Group.
Factfile:
1. Gati-Shakti Transport & Logistics Planning and Research Authority (GTLPRA) will coordinate transport and logistics planning across sectors.
2. It aims to end siloed decision-making among transport ministries and enable integrated, multimodal infrastructure planning.
3. It will Coordinate with MoRTH, Railways, Ports & Shipping, Civil Aviation, and Housing & Urban Affairs, alongside states and agencies.
4.Rs 500 crore initial grant for setup of GTLPRA; Rs 250 crore annual support thereafter
The Union government is planning to establish a centralised authority to steer transport and logistics planning by proposing the creation of an Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority (ILTA) now under inter-ministerial consultation.
The Tamil Nadu government is currently examining the proposal and is expected to submit its remarks to the Centre by the end of this week, official sources said.
This comes after inputs have been sought from various agencies including Chennai Metro Rail Limited. It is learnt that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has already conveyed its assent.
Under the proposal, ILTA will be set up as a not-for-profit special purpose vehicle under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, to be called the Gati-Shakti Transport & Logistics Planning and Research Authority (GTLPRA). The entity will be wholly owned by Union government and function under the administrative control of the Cabinet Secretariat.
The authority will focus on research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment across the transport and logistics ecosystem. Sources said ILTA is designed to plug a long-standing institutional gap by strengthening evidence-based decision-making and enabling integrated, multimodal planning.
GTLPRA will coordinate with five core infrastructure ministries—the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The idea is to overcome siloed decision-making and leverage multimodal connectivity.
As part of the institutional restructuring, the ULIP and Logistics Data Bank (LDB) teams from National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation will be repositioned under a dedicated Transport Big Data Division within ILTA, along with the associated manpower. This division will anchor data integration, analytics and digital monitoring across transport modes.
Beyond formulating a national Transport Master Plan, the authority will build institutional capacity in transport research, big-data integration, project monitoring and evaluation, while supporting capacity building and the adoption of international best practices.
Sources said a Cabinet note which was forwarded to the state proposes an initial non-recurring grant-in-aid of Rs 500 crore to fund the authority’s establishment and first year of operations, including digital platforms, servers and office infrastructure. This would be followed by annual budgetary support of Rs 250 crore, subject to review by the Cabinet Secretary based on actual expenditure.
In addition to creating ILTA, the proposal seeks Cabinet approval for changes to business allocation rules and a revamp of the infrastructure appraisal framework involving the Public Investment Board, NITI Aayog and the Network Planning Group.
Factfile:
1. Gati-Shakti Transport & Logistics Planning and Research Authority (GTLPRA) will coordinate transport and logistics planning across sectors.
2. It aims to end siloed decision-making among transport ministries and enable integrated, multimodal infrastructure planning.
3. It will Coordinate with MoRTH, Railways, Ports & Shipping, Civil Aviation, and Housing & Urban Affairs, alongside states and agencies.
4.Rs 500 crore initial grant for setup of GTLPRA; Rs 250 crore annual support thereafter
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