Modi Launches Vande Bharat Sleeper and Approves Bullet Train Corridor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Kashi-Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on October 31, 2026, and approved the north corridor of India's bullet train project. The new semi-high-speed sleeper service connects Varanasi and New Delhi via Prayagraj and Kanpur Central, covering 760 km in nine hours and 30 minutes. Operating six days a week with a capacity of 823 passengers, it is the second Vande Bharat sleeper train in the country.

Following the train's launch, the government announced the approval of a high-speed rail network linking Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Patna, and Siliguri, extending to Guwahati. The project aims to drastically reduce travel times, including a 59-minute trip from Delhi to Agra and a 3 hour and 35 minute journey from Varanasi to Delhi.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated the bullet train project will be fully 'Make in India,' utilizing domestic youth and welders for construction. The initiative is intended to support middle-income groups and small-scale artisans by improving access to business, education, and medical services. Modi described the Vande Bharat launch as a historic day that connects faith with opportunity.