India’s transport network is undergoing rapid transformation; bridges and tunnels are opening up new routes, while expressways and modern rail services are reshaping long-distance travel. This information was provided in a government factsheet released on Thursday. The factsheet noted that bridges are eliminating long, slow river crossings, enabling journeys that once took hours to be completed in significantly less time.
The rail-cum-road bridge over the Brahmaputra River has revolutionised connectivity between Dhemaji and Dibrugarh. According to the factsheet, a journey that previously took nearly an entire day now takes just one to two hours. The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link provides a direct connection between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, reducing travel time to approximately 20 minutes. The Kosi Rail Mahasetu has cut rail travel time between Nirmali and Saraigarh from about eight hours to 30 minutes, while reducing the distance from nearly 300 kilometers to 22 kilometers.
Additionally, the 200-meter-long Sisseri River Bridge has reduced travel time between Pasighat and Roing by approximately five hours, strengthening connectivity between the Dibang Valley and Siang. Tunnels are enabling travel via the shortest routes through some of India’s most challenging terrains. The 9.02-kilometer-long Atal Tunnel bypasses the Rohtang Pass and reduces the distance between Manali and Sarchu by 46 kilometers, providing all-weather connectivity to Lahaul-Spiti.
The 9-kilometer-long Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel bypasses difficult terrain and reduces travel distance by approximately 30 kilometers, cutting travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by nearly two hours. In Arunachal Pradesh, the Sela Tunnel—constructed at an altitude of approximately 13,000 feet—ensures all-weather connectivity on the strategically vital Tezpur-Tawang route. Expressways are transforming inter-city travel through shorter routes, controlled access, and higher speeds.
The 82-kilometer-long Delhi-Meerut Expressway has reduced the travel time between Delhi and Meerut from approximately two and a half hours to around 50 minutes. The 213-kilometer-long Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor cuts the travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over six hours to about two and a half hours. The Delhi-Mumbai Greenfield Expressway is being developed with the aim of reducing the travel time between Delhi and Mumbai from approximately 33 hours to around 12 hours. Meanwhile, the Vande Bharat Express and India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train are enabling significant time savings for passengers.
The 508-kilometre-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed ​​Rail Corridor will have an operational speed of 320 kmph and connect 12 stations. It includes India’s first undersea rail tunnel, stretching approximately 7 kilometers beneath Thane Creek. The launch of its first service is targeted for August 2027. According to a factsheet, the seven High-Speed ​​Rail (HSR) corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 will span approximately 4,000 kilometers and entail an estimated investment of ₹16 lakh crore.
