Prime Minister approves Northern bullet train corridor to Guwahati
The 1,500-kilometre high-speed rail network will connect Delhi to Guwahati via several major cities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Northern Corridor of the bullet train network, according to The Sentinel and Sambad English. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the decision on Saturday during the flagging off of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Varanasi and New Delhi.
The 1,500-kilometre corridor will begin in Delhi and connect Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Patna, and Siliguri before reaching Guwahati. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the project would reduce the rail journey between Delhi and Guwahati from 30 to 35 hours to under 8 hours.
Minister Vaishnaw stated that the travel time from Delhi to Agra will be 59 minutes, Delhi to Kanpur 1 hour 45 minutes, and Delhi to Lucknow 2 hours 12 minutes. He added that the journey from Varanasi to Delhi will take 3 hours 33 minutes and Varanasi to Lucknow will take 1 hour 21 minutes.
The Minister said the construction will be fully Make-in-India, including pillars and girders. He also dismissed claims that the service is only for the rich, stating the fare will be economical and much less than flight tickets.
Chief Minister Sarma noted that the expansion into the Northeast followed a written pitch and deliberations with the Railway Ministry. He said the network would open opportunities for businesses and livelihoods as Assam prepares for high-tech industries.