Approval has been granted for a second high-speed rail corridor in the country. Transport Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the high-speed train project for the Northern Corridor. This high-speed train will run from Delhi through Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Patna to Guwahati.
Ashwini Vaishnaw presented this information on Saturday, noting that this decision will significantly simplify connectivity between the capital and residents of northern regions, as well as small business owners. The government made this decision with the aim of improving travel for ordinary citizens. This step will substantially reduce travel time between New Delhi and Varanasi, Lucknow, Patna, and Guwahati, as well as between Agra and New Delhi.
He specified that after the completion of the Northern Corridor construction in the coming years, the journey from Delhi to Agra will take only 59 minutes. The travel times will be as follows: Delhi to Kanpur – 1 hour 45 minutes; Delhi to Lucknow – 2 hours 12 minutes; Delhi to Varanasi – 3 hours 33 minutes; and New Delhi to Patna will require 4 hours 33 minutes.
Ashwini Vaishnaw refuted rumors that this high-speed train is intended only for the wealthy, emphasizing that its cost will be very affordable and significantly lower than airfare. Furthermore, the train will ensure faster arrival at the destination at a lower ticket price.
Under the Central Budget for 2026-27, the construction of seven new high-speed rail corridors is planned, including the Delhi-Varanasi, Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, and Varanasi-Siliguri (via Patna) lines.
India's first high-speed train, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project, is actively being implemented, and its operation is planned to begin next year. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed railway corridor is scheduled to start running by August 2027. These trains are designed to travel at speeds of up to 320 km/h.
Currently, there is no information regarding a specific launch year or date. However, upon receiving this approval, the mapping and site demarcation process will commence, followed by work that may take several years. Work on this major route will be carried out in phases.