Delhi To Siliguri In 6 Hours: Ashwini Vaishnaw Unveils Bullet Train Corridor Through UP, Bihar & Bengal

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday announced an ambitious high-speed rail project connecting Delhi and Siliguri, unveiling plans for a bullet train corridor that would significantly reduce travel time between the national capital and North Bengal. The proposed route will pass through key cities including Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna before reaching Siliguri, creating a major transportation link across northern and eastern India. According to the minister, the journey that currently takes several hours by conventional rail will be reduced dramatically once the project becomes operational. Bullet Train To Connect Delhi and Siliguri Speaking about the proposed corridor, Vaishnaw said the project would mark a significant step forward in India's high-speed rail ambitions. “A bullet train project will come to West Bengal. It will connect Delhi and Siliguri via Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna. The journey will take only six hours by bullet train,” Vaishnaw announced, as per a report on News18. The proposed network is expected to improve connectivity between major economic and cultural centres across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, while also enhancing access to North Bengal, a key gateway to the Northeast. ALSO READ: Pro-Khalistan Slogans, Bhindranwale Posters Mark 42nd Anniversary Of Operation Blue Star At Golden Temple Centre Highlights Rise In Railway Investment The Railway Minister also highlighted the increase in central investment in West Bengal's railway infrastructure under the Narendra Modi government. Drawing a comparison with previous allocations, Vaishnaw said, “The UPA government had allocated Rs 4,000 crore. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has allocated Rs 14,205 crore for the development of railways in West Bengal.” He further alleged that several railway projects had faced delays due to a lack of approvals from the previous state administration. ALSO READ: MEA Rejects Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan Elections, Calls Region Integral To India Metro Expansion & New Trains For Bengal Vaishnaw pointed to a series of railway and metro initiatives undertaken in West Bengal in recent years. According to the minister, the state was among the first in the country to receive Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat trains. He also noted that 45 kilometres of metro rail infrastructure have been completed in Kolkata during the current government's tenure. Looking ahead, he announced plans to introduce 60 next-generation trains for the Kolkata Metro over the next five years, a move aimed at modernising the city's urban transit system. Suvendu Adhikari Promises Full Support West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari stressed the importance of improved cooperation between the state and the Centre in pushing infrastructure projects forward. The chief minister also assured full support on land acquisition and project execution.