Is local government's hyperloop plan a good investment or vanity project?

THE GOVERNMENT OF TONGREN, a city in Southwest China's Guizhou province, and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, a US startup, have signed a cooperation framework agreement to build the first hyperloop in China. Qianjiang Evening News comments:

The planned hyperloop is to be 10 kilometers long for pods traveling at speeds of up to 1,000 kilometers per hour. According to the agreement, the hyperloop, if it meets relevant safety standards for public transport after completion and testing, will be extended and put into commercial operation.

The mayor of Tongren has said the cooperation is the fruit of the city's opening-up and its efforts to attract investment and technology. But while it is good that a less-developed inland city such as Tongren can come into contact with such a cutting-edge transportation technology. The local government needs to be prudent and consider the possible losses and potential risks of the project, including its environmental impact.