Bullet Train Connectivity To Guwahati Approved: Himanta Biswa Sarma

In a major revelation of the Centre's ambitious project to link New Delhi to the landlocked Northeast through bullet trains, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday welcomed the approval given to include Guwahati, stating that several technical and logistical details regarding the project are yet to be worked out.

Speaking on the development, the Chief Minister said that the approval to bring the bullet train to Guwahati was the first major positive development, but the project would require several stages, including surveys and the construction of a completely separate railway line.

Sarma said the biggest challenge would be crossing the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the Chicken's Neck, which connects the Northeast with the rest of the country.

He pointed out that the corridor is only around 22 kilometres wide in certain stretches, with some patches measuring just 16 kilometres. With an existing National Highway and railway line already passing through the narrow corridor, the government would have to explore whether the bullet train track could be constructed underground or overground.

The Chief Minister also clarified that bullet trains cannot operate on existing railway tracks and would require an entirely separate railway corridor.

He said the project would involve substantial investment, potentially two to three times higher, depending on the technology and construction method adopted to cross the Chicken's Neck.

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Sarma further revealed that the proposal had initially faced difficulties, but following his discussions with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and his request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approval was eventually granted to extend the proposed bullet train connectivity to Guwahati.

The Chief Minister said he would hold further discussions with the Railway Minister during his next visit to Delhi to understand the technical details and the proposed alignment.

Describing the approval as a significant decision for Assam and the Northeast, Sarma credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the development.

He, however, maintained that the approval was only the first step, with the detailed planning, technology selection, survey and execution strategy yet to be finalised.