Centre approves extension of bullet train corridor to Guwahati
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the decision to extend the Northern high-speed rail network into the Northeast.
The Centre has approved the extension of the proposed Delhi–Siliguri high-speed rail corridor to Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday. The decision means the Northern bullet train corridor will now reach the Northeast instead of ending at Siliguri.
Sarma stated that the extension follows a written request and a meeting he had with Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in July. He noted that the project could allow travel between Guwahati and Delhi in less than eight hours.
The Chief Minister said the connectivity would benefit Assam as it prepares for new high-tech industries by providing affordable, fast links to Delhi and two state capitals. He added that a bullet train in the state once seemed too far-fetched to be a public demand.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Northern Corridor. The route will connect Delhi to Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, Siliguri, and Guwahati.
Vaishnaw said the project would be fully 'Make in India' and that fares would be economical and much lower than flight tickets. He provided estimated travel times, such as 59 minutes from Delhi to Agra and one hour 45 minutes from Delhi to Kanpur.
The Minister also noted that the corridor would connect Varanasi and Patna before reaching the final destination in Guwahati.