Delhi-Guwahati bullet train may go underground to cross Chicken's Neck corridor
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the project could require double or triple the usual investment due to technical challenges.
The proposed Delhi-Guwahati bullet train may run on elevated tracks or underground to cross the Siliguri Corridor, according to reports by Business Today, The Assam Tribune and The Federal. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that the narrow stretch, known as the Chicken's Neck, presents significant technical challenges.
The corridor is approximately 22 km wide and narrows to 16 km in certain patches. Sarma noted that because national highways and existing railway tracks already pass through the area, a dedicated high-speed rail line will require a different engineering approach.
The Chief Minister stated that the investment for the project could be two to three times higher than usual due to the challenging terrain and limited land availability. He added that bullet trains cannot operate on existing tracks and must have a separate railway line.
Sarma said the Centre had initially indicated that extending the network to Guwahati might not be feasible, but following meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the extension was approved. He described the decision as "remarkable, bold and courageous."
The approved North Corridor is planned to connect Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, and Siliguri before extending to Guwahati. Sarma said he will meet Vaishnaw during his next visit to Delhi to discuss the technical details and survey requirements.