- Bengaluru-Pune bullet train corridor hinted as next project.
- PM approved 4,000 km, 3,000 km more planned.
- Southern corridor connecting major cities also approved.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw dropped a major hint on India's next high-speed train corridor in Bengaluru. He indicated that the proposed Bengaluru-Pune bullet train corridor could be among the next set of high-speed rail projects to be announced by the Centre.
The Bengaluru-Pune Bullet Train corridor will cover the entire state of Karnataka. Recently, the Central government approved the Delhi-Guwahati bullet train, the second high-speed train project after Mumbai-Ahmedabad.
Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved 4,000 km of bullet train corridors, with another 3,000 km planned for announcement in the coming years.
"Another 3,000 kilometres of bullet train corridors will be announced in the coming years, and there will be many more corridors like Bengaluru-Pune, which covers entire Karnataka, from Bengaluru towards Hubballi, all the way to Pune. That corridor will be covered as well," he said.
Vaishnaw was speaking after an inaugural run of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express between Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Vaishnaw added that the proposed southern bullet train corridor has already received the PM's approval. It would connect Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Amaravati and Chennai, bringing major economic and technology centres in southern India closer.
"This will basically combine these large economies, technology capitals, into one large economy. This will be a huge multiplier for the states in South India," he said.
"Bengaluru to Chennai will be 73 minutes only. One hour and 13 minutes. These two cities will become one city," he said.
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Speaking about further strengthening train connectivity, Vaishnaw said that the Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat Express would be introduced within the next few weeks. He confirmed that the electrification and testing on the route had been completed.