Route Survey of 760km Varanasi – Howrah Bullet Train Project Begins

The Government of India has planned a 760km new Bullet Train corridor to connect Varanasi with Howrah through a high speed bullet train service. A private agency appointed by Indian Railways has commenced route survey of the proposed high speed rail corridor in Giridih district of Jharkhand state to identify routes and villages that the project will affect.

In August 2021, Indian Railways had apponited the joint venture (JV) of Tila Consultnats & Contractors Pvt. Ltd. and Monarch Surveyors & Engineering Consultants Pvt. Ltd. for conducting Survey / Field Work & Preparation Of Detailed Social Impact Assessment (SIA)/Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) For Varanasi-Howrah High Speed Rail Corridor. The JV has started conducting surveys to identify the route in the states where railway tracks and bullet train stations will be set up.

The proposed high speed bullet train which will connect Varanasi to Howrah will pass through several cities in Bihar and Jharkhand before reaching its final destination. The stations of this corridor may be come up at Varanasi, Buxar, Arrah, Patna, Nawada, Dhanbad, Asansol, Durgapur, Burdaman and Howrah.

“The bullet train will pass from several districts of Jharkhand and surveys are currently underway at Giridih district to identify routes and villages that the project will affect. It will pass through Dhanbad and Giridih’s Bagodar block,” said a senior official.

“The Central Government is planning to run a bullet train from Varanasi to Howrah. We are conducting surveys to identify the locations where rail tracks can be laid. The survey team is trying to identify the availability of land and villages that will be benefited from the upcoming project,” said Lokesh Bhardwaj, a member of the survey team.

“The survey report will be submitted to the Central Government after which the officials will take the next course of action. We have completed our survey in Giridih district and soon we will begin our survey in Dhanbad,” he added.

Source: The Urban Trasport