Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced a major rail infrastructure programme for West Bengal, anchored by a proposed bullet train corridor linking Delhi to Siliguri via Lucknow, Varanasi, and Patna. The route would cut travel time from nearly 20 hours to six, making it India’s second high-speed rail project after Mumbai-Ahmedabad.
The ₹1 lakh crore package includes 61 approved projects covering metro expansion, station modernisation, and a dedicated freight corridor from Dankuni to Surat. Siliguri’s position as the gateway to the Northeast makes the corridor strategically significant for regional connectivity, tourism, and trade.
Key components of the plan include 102 Amrit Bharat station redevelopments, 538 flyovers and underpasses, 60 new-generation Kolkata Metro trains over five years, 60 additional train services statewide, and an east–west dedicated freight corridor linking Dankuni with Surat.
Vaishnaw and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari pointed to past delays under the previous state government, citing legal disputes such as the Chingrighata Metro gap. They credit improved Centre–state cooperation under the current administration for unlocking approvals and funding, with district magistrates now instructed to expedite land acquisition.
The Delhi–Siliguri bullet train remains at the proposal stage, requiring feasibility studies, detailed project reports, land acquisition, and financing before construction can begin. However, the Centre frames it as part of a long-term strategy to extend high-speed rail across India, one that could transform one of the country’s longest travel corridors and anchor Bengal’s broader transport modernization.
