Railways plans Rs 16 lakh crore high-speed rail network for India’s biggest cities

The Railways ministry is planning a nationwide network of high-speed rail corridors under an ambitious programme estimated to cost around Rs 16 lakh crore, with the aim of connecting major cities across India and making long-distance train travel a viable alternative to flying.

The plan involves the development of seven dedicated high-speed rail corridors across the country. Among the most advanced proposals are the Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri bullet train routes, which are expected to become part of a wider network linking key urban centres in northern, eastern, western and southern India.

According to a report by Dipak Kumar Dash in the Times of India (TOI), the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Delhi–Varanasi corridor is currently under review, while work on the DPR for the Varanasi–Siliguri section is expected to begin soon.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said the proposed corridors could significantly reduce travel times between major cities. On the Delhi–Siliguri route, trains running through Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna could bring the journey down to nearly six hours. At present, the fastest train on the route, the Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express, takes more than 20 hours.

The proposed corridors are expected to complement the Ahmedabad–Mumbai bullet train project, which is currently under construction. Together, they are intended to form the foundation of a nationwide high-speed rail network, according to the TOI report.

Once completed, the network could provide faster connections between major urban centres including Delhi, Siliguri, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai. The broader objective is to create a seamless high-speed rail system capable of improving intercity connectivity across the country.

Public sector enterprise BEML Ltd is currently building India’s first domestically manufactured bullet train. The train has been designed to operate at speeds of up to 280 kmph and is expected to begin trial operations in August 2027 on a 100-km section between Surat and Bilimora on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai corridor.

BEML Chairman and Managing Director Shantanu Roy had earlier said during a post-Budget webinar that future versions of the train could become even faster. According to him, speeds could eventually increase from 280 kmph to 350 kmph as technology advances.

Vaishnaw has also said that future bullet train projects will rely heavily on Indian technology and locally manufactured components.

Railway officials say efforts are underway to standardise construction methods, signalling systems and rolling stock production. The approach is expected to reduce costs, accelerate project delivery and strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Construction on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai bullet train corridor has gained momentum in recent months. Officials have reported progress of nearly 15 km per month, attributing the faster pace to improved engineering practices and the adoption of advanced technologies.

Authorities are also working to standardise bullet train components for future projects, reducing dependence on imported equipment and creating a common framework for upcoming corridors.

According to the Times of India report, Indian Railways has set an internal target of building around 250 km of bullet train corridors every year once multiple projects move into the construction phase.

While no official completion date has been announced for the Ahmedabad–Mumbai route, the TOI report said the full corridor could become operational by 2031.

The proposed network could alter the way people travel between India’s major cities. Railways believes high-speed trains can offer a competitive alternative by combining faster journeys with direct city-centre connectivity.

With an estimated investment of Rs 16 lakh crore, the initiative represents one of the country’s largest planned infrastructure programmes. If implemented as proposed, it could expand regional connectivity, support economic activity across urban centres and advance the development of high-speed railway technology in India.