Delhi-Varanasi Bullet Train To Cut Jewar-Lucknow Travel Time To Just 100 Minutes: Ashwini Vaishnaw's Big Plan

Last Updated:June 28, 2026, 09:18 IST

Delhi-Varanasi Bullet Train: The Delhi-Varanasi route is among the seven new high-speed rail corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27.

Delhi-Varanasi Bullet Train: The proposed Delhi-Varanasi bullet train corridor is expected to significantly reduce travel time across Uttar Pradesh, with the journey between Jewar and Lucknow set to take just one hour and 40 minutes, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

Addressing a programme in Jewar, Vaishnaw said the high-speed rail project would also cut the travel time between Delhi and Lucknow to around two hours and 10 minutes once it becomes operational. The corridor was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2026-27.

Highlighting the project’s potential, the Railway Minister said the bullet train would transform connectivity and boost development in the state.

“Just as the Ganga flows, the bullet train will run in the same way. Once it starts, the distance from Delhi to Lucknow will take just 2 hours 10 minutes, and the journey from Jewar to Lucknow will be completed in only 1 hour 40 minutes. This project will prove to be a game-changer in reshaping the transport and development map of Uttar Pradesh," Vaishnaw said.

The proposed corridor will pass through Jewar, where the Noida International Airport is being developed. In April, Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh met the Railway Minister and requested high-speed rail connectivity to the airport.

Seven New High-Speed Rail Corridors Announced

The Delhi-Varanasi route is among the seven new high-speed rail corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27. In February, the Railway Board entrusted the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) with speeding up the implementation of these projects and directed it to revise the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) that had already been prepared.

Meanwhile, work on India’s first bullet train project, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor, is progressing.

Parliamentary Panel Flags Land Acquisition Concerns

In its report on the Demands for Grants for 2026-27, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways welcomed the government’s decision to expand the country’s high-speed rail network. However, it stressed that land acquisition and statutory clearances should be completed before approving future projects.

The committee said delays in securing land and obtaining approvals could affect project timelines and increase costs. It recommended that all necessary clearances be in place before projects are sanctioned to ensure timely execution and financial viability.

“The Committee appreciates the forward-looking vision of Indian Railways in announcing new High-Speed Rail corridors in the Budget 2026–27. For future corridors, the Committee emphasise that land acquisition and other statutory clearances should be completed prior to the sanctioning of projects, so as to ensure time-bound implementation and safeguard financial viability," the report said.

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Anushka Vats

Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can ...Read More

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