The Indian government has given the green light to seven new bullet train corridors, marking a significant advancement in the country's high-speed rail ambitions. These corridors aim to drastically reduce travel times between major cities and enhance rail connectivity across the nation.
Approved High-Speed Rail Corridors and Travel Times
The newly approved corridors and their projected travel times are as follows:
- Mumbai to Ahmedabad: 1 hour 57 minutes
- Mumbai to Pune: 48 minutes
- Bengaluru to Chennai: 73 minutes
- Bengaluru to Hyderabad: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Pune to Hyderabad: 2 hours 8 minutes
- Delhi to Lucknow: 2 hours
- Delhi to Varanasi: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Delhi to Siliguri: 6 hours
The announcement comes as the government continues to accelerate its high-speed railway expansion across the country.
Recent Railway Developments
Earlier on Friday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated a new weekly train service between Chhapra Junction and Anand Vihar Terminal. During the event, Vaishnaw also virtually flagged off two additional train services connecting Maul to Delhi and Zahirghat to Varanasi.
Addressing the gathering, Vaishnaw stated that Bihar would receive more than 200 new trains over the next seven to eight years as part of a major railway expansion program. He added that projects worth over Rs 1.15 lakh crore are currently underway in the state, which he described as witnessing unprecedented growth in railway infrastructure.
Delhi-Varanasi-Patna Bullet Train Corridor
The railway minister also announced that the Delhi–Varanasi–Patna bullet train corridor has been approved. According to him, the proposed high-speed rail line will cut travel time between Patna and Delhi to just 4 hours and 41 minutes once operational. He further mentioned plans to extend the corridor to Siliguri in the future.
Background of India's Bullet Train Project
India's first bullet train project was officially launched in 2017, although discussions on a high-speed rail link between Mumbai and Ahmedabad had begun earlier. The 508-km Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor is being developed with technical and financial assistance from Japan, utilizing the Shinkansen system.
