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To take the Indian Railways network into the modern era, work on High-Speed Rail Corridors (Bullet Train Projects) is progressing at a rapid pace. After the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Corridor in Western India, now the blueprint of the biggest gift has been prepared for the rail passengers of Eastern India, especially Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Under the proposed scheme of National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) Varanasi-Patna-Howrah High-Speed Rail Corridor The long journey of about 760 kilometers can be completed in just 3 to 3.5 hours through (Varanasi–Howrah HSR Corridor). The largest and most important part of this ambitious project will pass through Bihar, where modern bullet train stations will be established at major religious, cultural and business centres, including the capital Patna.
Currently, even the most premium trains (like Vande Bharat, Rajdhani or Duronto Express) running between Varanasi to Patna and Howrah (Kolkata) take 11 to 14 hours to cover this distance of 700 to 750 kilometers. After the commencement of the Bullet Train project, this journey will become extremely smooth and short:
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Design and Operational Speed: This track is being designed for a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour. The normal operational speed of the trains will be 320 km/hour and the average speed will be around 250 km/hour.
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Japanese ‘Shinkansen’ Technology: Japan’s state-of-the-art Shinkansen bullet train technology and ballastless concrete track will be used on this entire corridor.
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Elevated Track: To meet the stringent safety standards and to prevent cattle or humans from coming on the tracks, the entire railway section of about 260 kilometers in Bihar will be built above the ground i.e. on completely elevated pillars.
As per the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and proposed alignment, this high-speed corridor will originate from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and directly enter Bihar. The major stops and routes of Bullet Train in Bihar are as follows:
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1. Buxar: Bihar’s first bullet train station is proposed in Buxar as soon as it enters from the UP border. A new elevated station will be constructed here on the banks of Ganga.
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2. Arrah / Bhojpur: After Buxar, the train will pass through Ara in Bhojpur district, which will provide direct connectivity to lakhs of passengers of Shahabad region.
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3. Patna: Patna, the capital of Bihar, will become the main hub of this entire corridor. A state-of-the-art world-class terminal station will be built in Patna and nearby satellite towns (like Bihta or outer areas of Danapur) so that heavy traffic pressure is not created within the city.
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4. Jehanabad / Nawada: Moving south from Patna, this track will pass through Jehanabad or Nawada, where a station is proposed for technical and passenger halt.
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5. Gaya Junction: Another grand station of this route will be built in Gaya, the international Buddhist tourist destination and land of salvation. Gaya station is already being redeveloped on a large scale in view of its connectivity to the international airport and Mahabodhi Temple.
After Gaya, this high-speed track will enter the border of Jharkhand, where it will reach Asansol, Durgapur, Bardhaman in West Bengal and finally Howrah (Kolkata) via Koderma, Hazaribagh and Dhanbad.
Apart from this, in the big master plan being prepared by the Ministry of Railways, Delhi-Varanasi-Siliguri Corridor There is also a provision for PWD, the important stop of which will be Patna. Under this route, the bullet train will proceed from Patna and reach Siliguri (the gateway to the north-east) via Begusarai, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Katihar-Purnia. With this, in future, Bihar will not only be connected to West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, but the journey to the country’s capital New Delhi will also be covered in just 5 to 6 hours.
Initial technical studies for the Varanasi-Howrah High Speed Rail Project have progressed significantly:
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LiDAR Survey and Soil Testing: To prepare an accurate map of the route’s alignment and geographical structure, aerial survey and refraction topography using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology has been completed through helicopters and drones.
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Environmental and Social Impact Studies: Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of agricultural lands and settlements that will be affected by the construction of the corridor are being prepared.
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Timeline: Tenders for land acquisition and civil construction will be issued after the DPR gets final approval from the Union Cabinet. The target has been set to implement this mega project in a phased manner by 2030-2031.
Bullet Train Corridor will not only be a medium for high-speed travel, but it will also be a huge opportunity for Bihar. Economic Corridor Will be proved.
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Revolutionary boom in tourism: Traffic will become very easy for pilgrims and tourists from India and abroad coming to Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Nalanda and Patna Sahib.
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trade and Industry: With direct and superfast connectivity to metros like Kolkata and Delhi, Bihar’s local products, makhana, litchi and handloom industries will get direct access to big markets.
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Employment Opportunities: Construction and operation of elevated tracks and stations will generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the engineering, construction and service sectors in the state.