PM approves Northern Corridor for bullet train network
The new high-speed rail route will connect Delhi to Guwahati with reduced travel times.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Northern Corridor of India's bullet train network, according to reports by Times of India, The Pioneer and The Tribune. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the development in Varanasi on October 31, 2026, before flagging off the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Varanasi and New Delhi.
The proposed route is expected to connect Delhi with Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, and Siliguri, before extending to Guwahati in Assam. Vaishnaw stated that the project will be a 'Make in India' initiative, built by Indian youth and welders.
Indicative journey times shared by the minister include a 59-minute trip from Delhi to Agra and 1 hour 45 minutes from Delhi to Kanpur. Other estimated durations are 2 hours 12 minutes from Delhi to Lucknow, 1 hour 21 minutes from Lucknow to Varanasi, and 3 hours 35 minutes from Varanasi to Delhi.
Vaishnaw said the vision would benefit the middle-income group, youth, and artisans in small-scale industries, adding that fares would be more economical than airfares. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath noted that a strategy exists to run bullet train services between Delhi and Varanasi.
While the minister highlighted the rapid progress of construction, official details regarding the final alignment, station locations, costs, and the expected opening date have not yet been announced.