Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday announced that India’s first bullet train will run through the state of Bihar, connecting Varanasi to Siliguri via Patna in Bihar.
Calling it a “game-changer” for Bihar, Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted its potential to strengthen connectivity, growth, and regional development.
In a press briefing held today, the Union Railway Minister stated that two new bullet train corridors will also be started in Tamil Nadu as well. He mentioned that Tamil Nadu has received a record railway budget of Rs 7,611 crore. This is nine times higher than the allocation given during the Congress and UPA governments.
The Railway Ministry has allocated ₹14,205 crore for West Bengal in the 2026-27 financial year, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday. Addressing the media during a post-Budget interaction held virtually, the minister announced that India’s proposed bullet train project will initially connect Varanasi to Siliguri in West Bengal, with plans to extend the route to Assam at a later stage.
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Vaishnaw also spoke about key infrastructure projects, including the Dankuni-Surat freight corridor. He alleged that despite court orders, the West Bengal government has not provided the required land for the Metro rail project at Chinrighata in Kolkata. Highlighting progress under the NDA government, he said that while only 27 kilometres of Metro lines were constructed in Kolkata over the past 40 years, 45 kilometres have been laid in the last 11 years.
The minister further stated that artificial intelligence technology would be deployed to prevent elephant deaths caused by train collisions, underscoring the government’s focus on safety and wildlife protection.
Vaishnaw also added that the corridor will be extended towards Guwahati in the future and this will benefit the north eastern states by improving high-speed rail connectivity.
