Uttar Pradesh is approaching a major development milestone, with infrastructure projects worth nearly ₹92,000 crore nearing completion and the state steadily advancing toward its ₹1 lakh crore target. Adding momentum to this progress, the Union government has approved two new high-speed rail corridors Delhi to Varanasi and Varanasi to Siliguri aimed at transforming long-distance travel and strengthening connectivity across northern and eastern India.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the approval, noting that the new bullet train corridors will significantly reduce travel time while supporting regional economic integration.
The Delhi–Varanasi high-speed corridor will span approximately 865 kilometres and is designed to connect the national capital with Varanasi in around 3 hours and 50 minutes. The route will pass through key urban and economic centres including Noida, Mathura, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Prayagraj. Around 12 to 13 stations are planned along the alignment.
The Varanasi–Siliguri corridor will further extend high-speed connectivity toward eastern India, reducing travel time to about 2 hours and 55 minutes. The alignment will pass through Patna before reaching Siliguri, improving links between Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and the eastern region.
To address land acquisition challenges and limit environmental impact, a majority of the high-speed rail alignment within Uttar Pradesh will be constructed on elevated structures. This approach is expected to reduce land requirements, lower emissions, and stimulate economic activity along the corridor.
The two corridors are part of the second phase of India’s bullet train programme, following the Mumbai–Ahmedabad high-speed rail project, which is expected to commence commercial operations next year.
