NEW DELHI: India’s expanding network of bridges, tunnels, expressways and modern rail services has significantly reduced travel times across several regions, with some journeys that once took hours or even a day now being completed in a fraction of the time, according to a government release.
The Press Information Bureau (PIB) said infrastructure projects undertaken over the past decade have improved connectivity, reduced travel distances and enhanced access to remote and strategically important areas.
Among major bridge projects, the Bhupen Hazarika Setu connecting Assam and Arunachal Pradesh has reduced travel time between Rupai and Roing from six hours to about one hour. The Bogibeel Bridge over the Brahmaputra has cut travel time between Dhemaji and Dibrugarh from nearly a day to one or two hours.
The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, also known as Atal Setu, has reduced travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from around two hours to about 20 minutes. In Bihar, the Kosi Rail Mahasetu has shortened the rail journey between Nirmali and Saraigarh from eight hours to around 30 minutes.
The release also highlighted the role of tunnels in improving connectivity through difficult terrain. The Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh has reduced travel time by four to five hours by bypassing Rohtang Pass, while the Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Tunnel and the Banihal-Qazigund Tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir have cut travel time on the Jammu-Srinagar corridor by nearly two hours and around one-and-a-half hours, respectively.
Several expressways have also contributed to faster inter-city travel. The Delhi-Meerut Expressway has reduced travel time from about two-and-a-half hours to 50 minutes, while the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway has cut the journey from nearly three hours to about 75 minutes.
According to the PIB, the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor has reduced travel time between the two cities from more than six hours to around two-and-a-half hours. The Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg has halved travel time between the two cities, while the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Katra from 14 hours to around six hours.
The release said railway modernisation has also contributed to shorter travel times. New-generation Vande Bharat trains have reduced journey durations on several routes, including Katra-Srinagar, where travel time has been brought down to around three hours.
The government also highlighted progress on high-speed rail projects. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, targeted for commissioning in 2027, is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to under two hours. Seven additional high-speed rail corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 are proposed to connect major cities with travel times ranging from under an hour to about four hours.
According to the PIB, the cumulative impact of these projects is improving mobility, enhancing regional connectivity and reducing travel time for commuters, businesses and freight movement across the country.
