Union Budget 2026: India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has announced a major boost for train travelers and the Indian Railways in the Union Budget. She unveiled plans to build seven high-speed rail corridors connecting Delhi, Varanasi, Siliguri, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. These corridors will link multiple states, cities, and villages across the country, while also reducing the growing pressure on road transport.
Seven New Rail Corridors Announced
The seven high-speed rail corridors announced are:
- Pune – Mumbai
- Pune – Hyderabad
- Hyderabad – Bengaluru
- Hyderabad – Chennai
- Chennai – Bengaluru
- Delhi – Varanasi
- Varanasi – Siliguri
Government Plans High Speed Passenger and Dedicated Freight Rail Corridors
While announcing the seven high-speed rail corridors in the budget, the Finance Minister stated that these corridors aim to promote an environmentally friendly passenger transport system and accelerate railway development between cities. She also proposed the creation of dedicated freight corridors to boost cargo movement. Specifically, a new dedicated freight corridor connecting Dunkuni in the east to Surat in the west has been proposed.
The Finance Minister stated that the Modi government plans to develop 20 new waterways over the next five years, starting with National Waterway-5 in Odisha. This waterway will connect mineral-rich areas like Talcher and Angul, as well as industrial hubs such as Kalinganagar, to the Paradip and Dhamra ports. Additionally, a ship repair ecosystem will be established to support the development of international waterways in Varanasi and Patna.
