Centre greenlights Delhi‑Guwahati high‑speed rail extension

The Union government has approved extending the northern high‑speed rail corridor from Siliguri to Guwahati, a move hailed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as a pivotal moment for eastern India. Sarma said the new link will cut travel time between Delhi and Guwahati to under eight hours once the bullet‑train line is operational. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for granting the extension, posting on X that “this is what a government that listens and delivers looks like.” The original plan stopped at Siliguri in West Bengal; the added stretch to Guwahati is expected to create fresh economic opportunities for the region. Sarma noted that Assam is gearing up for high‑tech industries and that fast, affordable, flight‑like connectivity to Delhi and two state capitals will open huge prospects for businesses and livelihoods. He recalled that a bullet train to Assam once seemed far‑fetched and never a public demand, but now the project is becoming reality. In June, Sarma wrote to the Centre urging the extension, warning that leaving Guwahati – the gateway to the Northeast and the region’s largest economic hub – out of the plan was a concern. He argued that the extension would place the entire Northeast on India’s bullet‑train map and act as a catalyst for growth, tourism, trade and investment. The corridor will link Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna and Siliguri before reaching Guwahati.

Context

High‑speed rail projects aim to shrink travel times and boost regional integration, a strategy the Indian government is pursuing across multiple corridors to spur economic development and reduce geographic isolation of remote areas.