India's ambitious high-speed rail network is set for a major expansion after the Centre approved seven new bullet train corridors connecting some of the country's biggest economic, technology and tourism hubs. The proposed routes are expected to significantly cut travel time between major cities while improving long-distance connectivity across western, southern and northern India.
The move comes as construction continues on India's first high-speed rail project, the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor, which has been under development since 2017 with technical and financial support from Japan.
Seven new high-speed rail routes approved
The newly approved corridors include Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri. Together, these routes are expected to form the backbone of a wider national bullet train network in the coming years.
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The expansion is aimed at strengthening connectivity between key commercial and industrial centres while reducing dependence on road and air travel for long-distance journeys.
Travel time likely to reduce sharply
According to the proposed plan, passengers could see a dramatic reduction in travel time once the corridors become operational.
As reported by The New Indian Express, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad journey is expected to take just 1 hour 57 minutes, while Mumbai to Pune could be covered in 48 minutes. Travelling between Bengaluru and Chennai may take only 73 minutes, Bengaluru to Hyderabad around 2 hours 10 minutes, and Pune to Hyderabad about 2 hours 8 minutes.
In north India, Delhi to Lucknow is projected to take 2 hours, Delhi to Varanasi 3 hours 15 minutes and Delhi to Siliguri nearly 6 hours.
Bihar set to benefit from expansion
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Delhi-Varanasi-Patna bullet train corridor has also been approved. Once operational, the route is expected to reduce travel time between Patna and Delhi to around 4 hours and 41 minutes. The government is also considering extending the corridor to Siliguri to improve high-speed rail connectivity in eastern India.
Speaking at a programme on Friday, Vaishnaw said railway development works worth more than Rs 1.15 lakh crore are currently underway in Bihar. He said the state could receive more than 200 new trains over the next seven to eight years.
According to the minister, work is also progressing on new rail lines, station modernisation and passenger amenities, with the investment expected to generate employment and support economic growth in the state.
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New train services also launched
During the same event, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary inaugurated a weekly train service between Chhapra Junction and Anand Vihar Terminal. The Railway Minister also virtually flagged off two additional train services connecting Maul to Delhi and Zahirghat to Varanasi.
No timeline announced yet
Although the corridors have received approval, the government has not announced construction schedules. Each project will first undergo feasibility studies, statutory clearances, funding arrangements and land acquisition before work begins.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor remains India's first high-speed rail project and is being developed using Japan's Shinkansen technology. The government has indicated that the experience gained from this project will help shape the rollout of future bullet train corridors across the country.
