Modi approves northern bullet train corridor from Delhi to Guwahati
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the northern corridor of India’s bullet train network, a high-speed line that will run from Delhi to Guwahati in Assam, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday, 31 October.
The line will start in Delhi and pass through Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna and Siliguri before reaching Guwahati, Vaishnaw said. It would be India’s second major bullet train corridor, after the Mumbai to Ahmedabad line, which is still under construction.
Vaishnaw gave target journey times for the new line. Delhi to Agra would take 59 minutes, Delhi to Kanpur one hour and 45 minutes, and Delhi to Lucknow two hours and 12 minutes. Lucknow to Varanasi would take one hour and 21 minutes, and Delhi to Varanasi about three and a half hours. He said fares would be very economical and much lower than flight tickets, and that the line would be built under the Make in India programme, with its pillars and girders made in India.
Vaishnaw made the announcement in Varanasi, shortly before flagging off new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express services between Varanasi and New Delhi. He also announced 10 new MEMU local train services in Varanasi, including one linking Varanasi with Prayagraj.
Why it matters
The corridor would link India’s capital with the north-east, bringing high-speed rail to Assam for the first time. Shorter journeys would help workers, students and traders travelling between Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam, and pilgrims visiting Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj. The promise of low fares and Indian-made construction also matters: the minister presented the line as transport for ordinary passengers and small businesses, not only for the rich.
What happens next
No cost, construction start date or opening date was announced on Saturday, so the line is approved in principle but has no public timetable yet. The next steps to watch are the detailed project report, a formal cost and a construction schedule. Until those appear, the journey times above are the minister’s targets, not a timetable passengers can book on.
This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.
Sources
- https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/delhi-to-agra-in-59-minutes-pm-modi-approves-north-corridor-of-bullet-train-project/article71651891.ece (The Hindu BusinessLine, 1 November 2026)
- https://thefreedompress.in/pm-modi-approves-northern-bullet-train-corridor-fares-will-be-economical-ashwini-vaishnaw/ (The Freedom Press / IANS, 31 October 2026)
