Chennai-Bengaluru Bullet Train Corridor Enters Pre-Construction Phase, Centre Floats Tenders

India’s third bullet train project, connecting Chennai and Bengaluru, has moved into the early stages of development, with the Centre floating tenders for pre-construction activities for the 306.2-km high-speed rail corridor.The tender requires the contractor to work on the updated alignment of the project, which currently includes eight stations. Three stations will be located in Tamil Nadu — Chennai Central, Poonamalle and Parandur. While the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) had proposed a station at Parandur in its original detailed project report (DPR), the latest tender has designated it as a “future station”. The remaining stations have been classified as “stop stations”.

The project is targeted for completion by 2035 and is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Chennai and Bengaluru. The bullet train, designed to operate at speeds of up to 350 kmph, is expected to bring the journey time down to less than an hour, compared with the current travel time of around seven hours. The upcoming Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway is expected to reduce road travel time to about three hours.

According to the terms of reference, the first station will be developed on the western side of Chennai Suburban Railway Station. It will be connected to Chennai Central railway station and the Chennai Metro network through 100-metre and 50-metre linkages, respectively.

The corridor will feature three tunnels, including a 1.7-km tunnel near Chennai Central. The remaining stretch will be developed as an elevated corridor passing through key locations such as Perambur, Kolathur, Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Grand Northern Trunk Road near Madhavaram, Padi, Chennai Bypass, Chennai-Thiruvallur Highway, Annanur, Poonamalle and Arakkonam.

The Chennai-Bengaluru bullet train corridor is part of India’s broader high-speed rail expansion programme aimed at improving intercity connectivity and reducing travel times between major urban centres.