Patna: Plans for a high-speed rail corridor through Bihar are accelerating, with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for approximately 260 kilometers of elevated track expected to be finalized by August. This ambitious project, spanning five districts including Patna, marks a significant step towards bringing bullet train connectivity to the region.
The National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) is set to select an agency within the next two to three months to prepare the DPR. Following this, a formal agreement will be signed, initiating on-ground surveys and detailed planning.
This development comes as part of the broader Varanasi-Patna-Kolkata High-Speed Rail Corridor, a key focus of the central government after the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project. The project has received funding in the Union Budget, signaling its priority.
The proposed bullet train, aiming to drastically reduce travel times, has a target operational timeframe of five years. The construction will be phased, with the first focusing on the Varanasi to Howrah route, passing through key Bihar cities. The second phase will connect Delhi to Varanasi.
Land has been identified in Patna, Ara, Buxar, Jehanabad, and Gaya for the corridor. Notably, approximately 60 kilometers of elevated track are planned for Patna alone, impacting 58 villages. A station is proposed near AIIMS, Patna, with additional stops at Buxar, Bhojpur, Jehanabad, and Gaya.
The Varanasi-Patna-Howrah corridor is approximately 799.293 kilometers in length, traversing through Jharkhand and West Bengal as well. In Jharkhand, the train will stop at Koderma, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Dhanbad. In West Bengal the train will stop at West Bardhaman, East Bardhaman, Hooghly, Howrah.
Challenges remain, with approximately 3,881 trees in Patna obstructing the planned elevated track. NHSRCL will need to secure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Forest Department for the transplantation or removal of these trees. The Patna section alone requires 135.06 hectares of land for the 60.90 km elevated track.
