Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday announced that the Centre has approved the extension of the proposed Delhi-Siliguri high-speed rail corridor to Guwahati, a move that could bring travel time between the Assam capital and New Delhi down to less than eight hours.
Sarma thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for approving the proposal, describing the decision as a significant step towards improving connectivity in eastern and northeastern India.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister said the high-speed rail corridor was initially planned to terminate at Siliguri. He said the proposal to extend it to Guwahati was taken up with the Railway Minister through a written request and a meeting in July.
“After my written request and meeting with Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw Ji in July, he saw merit in our proposal and approved its extension into the North East,” Sarma wrote.
He added that the extension would mark an important development for the region, with the possibility of reducing the journey between Guwahati and Delhi to under eight hours.
In a letter dated June 7, 2026, Sarma had urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to extend the proposed Delhi–Siliguri High-Speed Rail Corridor to Guwahati.
The Chief Minister had highlighted Guwahati’s importance as the gateway to the Northeast and the region’s largest economic and transportation hub. He expressed concern that the city had been left out of the proposed high-speed rail network.
Sarma argued that connecting Guwahati to the corridor would bring the Northeast within India’s bullet train network and help promote economic growth, tourism, trade and investment across the region.
The proposed extension is also expected to support Assam’s industrial ambitions by improving connectivity with major economic centres and facilitating the movement of people and businesses.