Patna: Residents of Bihar could soon experience bullet train travel, after the Union budget announced a high-speed rail corridor between Varanasi and Siliguri, with planned stops at Patna and Katihar. Once operational, the corridor is expected to cut the Varanasi–Siliguri journey to just under three hours, a dramatic reduction that would reshape travel across eastern India.
The announcement was detailed by the railway minister during a virtual press conference following the budget presentation. He said the proposed corridor was part of a broader push to modernise India’s rail network and strengthen inter-regional connectivity, particularly between the heartland, eastern states and the northeast.
As part of the same budget, Bihar has been allocated Rs 10,379 crore for railway development, with projects in the state collectively valued at Rs 1.09 lakh crore. Officials said the high-speed corridor would pass through multiple districts of Bihar, significantly improving passenger movement and freight potential.
Railway authorities indicated that the corridor could later be extended to Guwahati, further tightening links between the northeast and the rest of the country. The plan aligns with a wider strategy to prioritise rail connectivity in the Northeast Frontier Railway region, including multi-line sections and underground rail segments.
At present, 14 Vande Bharat and 21 Amrit Bharat trains are operating in Bihar, with more services planned. The minister said additional semi-high-speed trains would be introduced as infrastructure capacity improves.
The budget also reaffirmed the government’s focus on rail expansion in northeastern states such as Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Bhutan-linked routes, alongside wildlife-protection measures, including technology designed to reduce elephant deaths on railway tracks.
In the Katihar railway division, several new projects were announced, including a proposed rail line between Telta and Raiganj and the construction of new stations. Divisional railway officials later confirmed that the bullet train will halt at Katihar station, requiring the construction of a dedicated high-speed track.
Railway officials said the corridor would offer Bihar faster, safer and more modern rail travel, while also boosting trade, tourism and economic ties between the state and the northeast. For a region long shaped by slower rail journeys, the proposal marks a significant shift in how Bihar could be connected to the rest of the country.
