Budget 2026: Delhi-Varanasi corridor among 7 high-speed rail routes announced
By Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi, Feb 1 (BVI): Seven high speed rail routes, another Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) and a container manufacturing scheme were proposed in the Budget 2026 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today in Parliament.
Sitharaman, while presenting her ninth consecutive budget, proposed Rs 12. 2 lakh crore as Capital Expenditure for the FY 2027, up from Rs 11.2 lakh crore last year, to sustain infrastructure momentum.
It is the first time in India’s fiscal history that the Budget was presented on a Sunday.
In the Railway sector, the proposed high speed routes include Mumbai–Pune, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi, Varanasi–Siliguri, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Chennai, and Chennai–Bengaluru, aimed at improving speed, efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of long-distance travel.
Giving a fillip to container manufacturing sector, Finance Minister proposed a Rs 10,000 cr scheme for a 5-year period to strengthen logistics infrastructure and reducing dependence on imports.
In a boost to goods sector, she also proposed for construction of a new Dedicated Freight Corridor from Dankuni in eastern India to Surat in western part of the country.
Currently there are two – Eastern DFC and Western DFC – operational in the country.
According to the Economic Survey 2026 tabled on Thursday, India’s economy is projected to grow 7.4 per cent in financial year 2026 (FY26) and 6.8-7.2 per cent in FY27, driven by regulatory reforms, a strong macroeconomic base, and a renewed call for private sector investment. (BVI)
