Seven New Bullet Train Corridors Planned After Mumbai-Ahmedabad

31 Jul 2026 CW Team

Officials have proposed an extension from Varanasi to Siliguri to create a link across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, with possible stations in Bihar such as Buxar, Patna and Kishanganj. The Varanasi-Patna-Siliguri stretch is estimated at 805 km and, when joined to the Delhi-Varanasi section, would yield a network of roughly 1700 km. Preliminary aerial and ground surveys have begun for proposed high-speed links from Varanasi towards Howrah and Siliguri.

Subject to clearances and land availability, the initial phase is likely to focus on linking Delhi with Agra and Lucknow using a standardised design to speed planning and construction. India’s high-speed trains are expected to operate at up to 320 kmph with infrastructure designed for around 350 kmph, and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor spans about 508 km with a section between Surat and Bilimora targeted for 2027. Wider expansion across multiple corridors could involve investment running into several lakh crore rupees.

Other proposed routes include a Mumbai-Pune corridor of about 170 km that would cut travel to roughly 50 minutes and a Pune-Hyderabad link of around 600 km that could reduce the journey to about two hours. Southern and central proposals include a Bengaluru-Chennai corridor of roughly 358 km with an estimated journey of one hour and 15 minutes, a Bengaluru-Hyderabad route of about 716 km taking around two and a half hours, and a Chennai-Hyderabad link of roughly three hours. Many corridors remain at planning stages and final routes, stations and timelines will depend on feasibility studies and clearances.

The central government is planning seven new high-speed rail corridors following the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project with the Delhi-Varanasi line among priority routes. The Delhi-Varanasi corridor is planned to link the national capital with Uttar Pradesh cities including Sarai Kale Khan, Noida International Airport, Mathura, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Prayagraj and Varanasi and is expected to cut the journey to around three and a half hours. The proposal has reached the detailed project report (DPR) stage and will require approvals, funding decisions and land acquisition. Officials have proposed an extension from Varanasi to Siliguri to create a link across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, with possible stations in Bihar such as Buxar, Patna and Kishanganj. The Varanasi-Patna-Siliguri stretch is estimated at 805 km and, when joined to the Delhi-Varanasi section, would yield a network of roughly 1700 km. Preliminary aerial and ground surveys have begun for proposed high-speed links from Varanasi towards Howrah and Siliguri. Subject to clearances and land availability, the initial phase is likely to focus on linking Delhi with Agra and Lucknow using a standardised design to speed planning and construction. India’s high-speed trains are expected to operate at up to 320 kmph with infrastructure designed for around 350 kmph, and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor spans about 508 km with a section between Surat and Bilimora targeted for 2027. Wider expansion across multiple corridors could involve investment running into several lakh crore rupees. Other proposed routes include a Mumbai-Pune corridor of about 170 km that would cut travel to roughly 50 minutes and a Pune-Hyderabad link of around 600 km that could reduce the journey to about two hours. Southern and central proposals include a Bengaluru-Chennai corridor of roughly 358 km with an estimated journey of one hour and 15 minutes, a Bengaluru-Hyderabad route of about 716 km taking around two and a half hours, and a Chennai-Hyderabad link of roughly three hours. Many corridors remain at planning stages and final routes, stations and timelines will depend on feasibility studies and clearances.

Infrastructure Urban

31 Jul 2026

SCLR Extension Nears Completion Linking BKC With Signal-Free Route

The Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension towards Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) via the Mumbai University campus has entered its final stage, bringing motorists closer to a direct, signal-free connection between the Western Express Highway and the city’s commercial district. The elevated connector is being built as an arm from the SCLR alignment and will link the western suburbs with BKC without surface signals. The link is designed to reduce journey times for commuters travelling from the western suburbs to BKC and to improve access to eastern Mumbai. By carrying through traffic above s..

Infrastructure Transport

31 Jul 2026

Raiganj MP Seeks Bengal Only Highway Link To Siliguri

Raiganj Member of Parliament Kartik Chandra Paul met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi to press for a new stretch of national highway in North Dinajpur district. He urged approval for a Bengal-to-Bengal link that would connect National Highways 12 and 27 to allow vehicles bound for Siliguri to avoid the current route through Kishanganj in neighbouring Bihar. He also submitted a proposed alignment of the new road to the ministry for consideration. At present vehicles from Raiganj travel along NH-12 and join NH-27 at Purnia More in Dalkhola, a route that p..

Infrastructure Transport

31 Jul 2026

Airport Kilambakkam Metro Line To Be Extended To Chengalpattu

Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) has invited tenders for two detailed project reports that would extend its rail network to Chengalpattu in the south and extend Corridor-5 to Wimco Nagar in the north as part of a second wave of expansion beyond the operator's corridors under construction. The move signals an acceleration of planning for suburban links and interchange nodes. The larger of the two studies covers a roughly 27km extension from the planned Kilambakkam metro station to Chengalpattu under Corridor-1, Phase I. CMRL floated the tender at an estimated cost of Rs 21.6 mn. The proposed line woul..