Vaishnaw Says Northern Bullet Train Corridor Approved

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved a proposed northern high-speed rail corridor linking Delhi with Guwahati, with a projected Delhi-Varanasi journey of about three hours and 33 minutes. The Ministry of Railways, however, says formal sanction depends on further project planning, feasibility reviews and assessment of funding options. Vaishnaw announced the proposal in Varanasi on Saturday, October 31, while speaking ahead of the launch of Vande Bharat Sleeper services between Varanasi and New Delhi. He described the corridor as part of a broader expansion of India’s high-speed rail network. The ministry has not announced a construction or passenger-service schedule for the proposed line. The route is expected to pass through northern and eastern India toward Guwahati. Vaishnaw’s remarks and published route descriptions include Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri, with the corridor extending to Guwahati. The ministry’s May description listed Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri. A final project plan and station list have not been established in the reports. Vaishnaw gave several projected journey times:...