CHENNAI: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement in Parliament on Sunday, while presenting the Union Budget, on the development of high-speed rail corridors along the Chennai–Bengaluru and Chennai–Hyderabad routes has revived hopes for faster inter-State connectivity from Chennai. Designed for trains operating at speeds of up to 350kmph, the proposed corridors are expected to sharply cut travel time between major southern cities.
The Chennai–Bengaluru high-speed rail corridor is likely to be aligned along the under-construction Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway, passing through Kancheepuram, Arakkonam and Chittoor. With the expressway nearing completion, planners see it as a natural spine for the rail alignment. Spanning a tentative 290km to 300km, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Chennai and Bengaluru to about one hour and 13 minutes (73 minutes).
By contrast, the 778-km Chennai–Hyderabad high-speed corridor remains relatively underexplored. Only around 61km of the alignment falls within Tamil Nadu, limiting its direct developmental impact on the state, apart from improved access to Chennai. Once operational, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Chennai and Hyderabad to around two hours and five minutes.
At present, the 325-km Chennai–Bengaluru sector, one of the most heavily patronised rail routes in the country, is served by the Vande Bharat Express, Shatabdi Express and several intercity superfast trains. While the Vande Bharat completes the journey in about four hours and 15 minutes, the Shatabdi takes around four hours and 30 minutes.
The 820-km Chennai–Hyderabad route, meanwhile, has only two daily direct trains — the Charminar Express and the Charlapalli Express — with journey times ranging from 14 to 15 hours, the project will reduce it to about three to four hours.
Regular commuters point out that travel from central Bengaluru to Kempegowda International Airport takes around 90 minutes during non-peak hours and up to three hours during peak traffic. “If the proposed high-speed corridor can offer a travel time of around two hours between Chennai and Bengaluru, a significant share of air passengers is likely to shift to high-speed trains,” said Vishnu Durai, a Bengaluru resident and Hosur-based entrepreneur.
However, sources in the state government and industry bodies told TNIE that the Chennai–Hyderabad corridor offers limited scope for further economic development within Tamil Nadu. They also pointed out that Ennore and Kattupalli ports are already being connected to the Mahabalipuram through the Chennai Peripheral Ring Road.
Project could slash travel times along key routes
The development of high-speed corridors along the Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad routes could reduce travel time if trains capable of operating at speeds of up to 350 kmph are introduced