Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the north corridor of the bullet train project. This route will link Delhi with cities like Kanpur and Varanasi. Vaishnaw said, "The prime minister has approved the north corridor of the bullet train, which will change lives."

Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had cleared the north corridor of the bullet train project, which will connect several major cities across northern and eastern India.

The proposed route will link Delhi with Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna and Siliguri before extending to Guwahati, said Vaishnaw. He added that the project was expected to significantly reduce travel time between these cities, news agency PTI reported.

The minister said the bullet train initiative would create opportunities for young people, middle-income groups and artisans working in small-scale industries. He also highlighted the government's focus on using domestic expertise and technology for its construction.

Vaishnaw said the construction work, including the development of pillars and girders, would be undertaken using Indian capabilities.

"The construction is progressing rapidly. It will be fully 'Make in India', built by the youth and welders of India," he said.

He made the announcement ahead of flagging off the new Vande Bharat Sleeper Express services between Varanasi and New Delhi.

Providing details of the proposed travel times, Vaishnaw said passengers would be able to travel from Delhi to Kanpur in 1 hour and 45 minutes, while the journey between Delhi and Agra would take 59 minutes.

The Delhi-Lucknow journey is expected to take 2 hours and 12 minutes. Travel between Lucknow and Varanasi would take 1 hour and 21 minutes, while the journey from Varanasi to Delhi would be completed in 3 hours and 35 minutes.

Speaking about the project's potential impact, Vaishnaw said, "The prime minister has approved the north corridor of the bullet train, which will change the lives of many. The vision for the bullet train shared by the prime minister will greatly benefit the youth, the middle-income group, and artisans in small-scale industries. People will remember Prime Minister Modi for the next 100 years for this initiative."