No More Long Journeys: This High-Speed Rail Will Get You from Hyderabad to Bengaluru and Chennai in Record Time

High-Speed Rail Project Promises to Cut Travel Time by Nearly 10 Hours

In an exciting development for commuters, the Centre’s proposed high-speed rail corridors linking Hyderabad to Bengaluru and Chennai are set to revolutionize travel in the region. If the plan progresses as expected travel times by train will be significantly reduced, making rail travel as fast as air travel.

The proposed high-speed trains, operating at speeds of up to 320 km/h, will allow passengers to travel from Hyderabad to Bengaluru in just 2 hours and to Chennai in 2 hours and 20 minutes. This is a dramatic reduction from the current train travel time, which can take almost 10 hours.

Speeding Up Travel to Bengaluru and Chennai

Currently, flights from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru take about one hour and 15 minutes, while flights to Chennai International Airport take about one hour and 20 minutes. However, these air travel durations are only a part of the journey, as the commute from airports to city centres adds an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour. By contrast, the high-speed train corridors are expected to cover the full journey in a similar 2-3 hour time frame, matching air travel in terms of total travel time.

The Hyderabad-Chennai high-speed rail corridor will stretch 705 kilometers, while the Hyderabad-Bengaluru corridor will cover 626 kilometers.

Tender Process Underway for Survey and Assessment

RITES Limited, a public sector engineering consultancy, has invited tenders to carry out a comprehensive final location survey for both high-speed rail corridors. The survey will include a detailed design of the alignment, traffic estimates, and engineering documents for the elevated corridors.

The total cost for the survey and assessment process is estimated at Rs 33 crore. According to senior officials from South Central Railway (SCR), the rail routes will be exclusively dedicated to high-speed trains, setting them apart from conventional railway tracks, which accommodate a variety of services, including freight and Vande Bharat trains.

The design of these high-speed corridors will follow a similar model to that of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed corridor, which is currently under construction. This new design will support speeds of up to 350 km/h, although the trains will initially operate at 320 km/h.

A Long-Term Vision for High-Speed Rail

Though the completion timeline for the Hyderabad rail corridors remains uncertain, officials estimate that it may take at least 15 years for the project to be finalized. In comparison, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed corridor began its feasibility assessment in 2015, with construction commencing in 2021. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor is projected to be completed by 2028 at a cost of Rs 1.65 lakh crore.

The high-speed rail corridors are expected to be a game-changer in terms of passenger convenience, reducing both travel time and congestion, while also offering an environmentally friendly alternative to air travel.

Future Prospects

The assigned firm for the project will also conduct various geological and remote sensing studies, as well as lab tests on soil and rock samples along the proposed routes. These measures will ensure the structural integrity of bridges, viaducts, and tunnels, and allow for the future expansion of the network, including provisions for multi-tracking within the existing broad-gauge railway corridors.

As the project moves forward, it holds the potential to transform the travel landscape between Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, making high-speed rail a viable alternative to flying.