The 778-kilometer Hyderabad–Chennai high-speed rail initiative has gained significant traction, with South Central Railway (SCR) submitting the final alignment to the Tamil Nadu government for incorporation into the detailed project report (DPR).
SCR has also requested approvals to continue the survey work. According to I. Jayakumar, Member Secretary of CUMTA, the DPR will be finalized within a month following state approval, highlighting that the alignment was adjusted at Tamil Nadu’s request to include Tirupati instead of Gudur.
The bullet train is designed to reduce travel time from 12 hours to merely two hours and 20 minutes. Tamil Nadu will accommodate two stations — Chennai Central and another station near Minjur on the Ring Road, with the Railways requesting 50 acres around each for transit-oriented development.
The state’s 61-kilometer segment will necessitate 223.44 hectares of non-forest land and will include an 11.6-kilometer tunnel. The Railways has called for prompt approvals, joint inspections, and the finalization of station locations to adhere to the established timelines.
