Prime Minister Modi Approves Northern Corridor Bullet Train Network

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Northern Corridor of India's high-speed rail network, greenlighting a massive infrastructure project designed to link the national capital with eastern and northeastern regions. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the clearance during a public engagement in Varanasi.

The approval marks a major step forward for passenger transit in northern and eastern states, introducing high-speed rail to densely populated sectors that currently rely on slower conventional trains or flights. By slashing transit durations across major economic and cultural centres, the initiative aims to reshape long-distance mobility for millions of travellers.

The approximately 1,500-kilometre corridor will originate in Delhi and pass through Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, and Siliguri before terminating in Guwahati. The inclusion of Guwahati follows a specific expansion request to bring Assam directly into the high-speed rail network.

According to projections shared by the Ministry of Railways, the new infrastructure will drastically compress travel times between major city pairs. The journey from Delhi to Agra will take 59 minutes, while commuters can reach Kanpur in 1 hour and 45 minutes, and Lucknow in 2 hours and 12 minutes. Furthermore, the transit time between Delhi and Varanasi will drop to approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes, and the total end-to-end journey from Delhi to Guwahati is slated to take around eight hours.

Railway officials confirmed that the project will be executed under domestic manufacturing guidelines. Construction elements from structural pillars to girders will be built entirely through domestic capabilities, relying on Indian engineering talent and workforce participation.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the extension of the route into the northeast, expressing appreciation for the central government's decision to include Guwahati in the blueprint. The rollout of the northern line follows the union government's broader high-speed rail framework announced in earlier budget allocations.

Fares for the high-speed service will be structured to remain lower than prevailing airfares, targeting middle-income passengers, small-scale artisans, and youth. Detailed project timelines, land acquisition schedules, and funding breakdowns are expected to be released by the railway ministry in subsequent phases.