Indian Railways is betting big on high-speed rail. Seven new bullet train corridors are planned in a push worth 16 lakh crore rupees, according to reports.

The proposed corridors include Delhi to Varanasi in under four hours and Mumbai to Pune in 48 minutes. Chennai to Bengaluru is also on the list, with a travel time of just over an hour.

The plan builds on the Mumbai to Ahmedabad bullet train project, India’s first high-speed corridor. That project has faced land and cost delays but is now progressing.

High-speed rail could transform intercity travel in India. Trains running at 300 km per hour would cut journey times sharply and ease pressure on crowded airlines and highways.

The 16 lakh crore figure covers construction, trains, and stations across the seven corridors. Funding, land acquisition, and technology partners will decide the pace. The railways has not announced a final timeline for the new routes.