Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that seven high-speed rail projects have been included in the budget, out of which two new bullet train corridors will pass through Maharashtra and Hyderabad
Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday briefed on the allocations to the railways in Union Budget 2026. File Pic/PTI
Day after the presentation of the Union Budget 2026, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said that with two Bullet Train corridors Mumbai-Pune and Pune-Hyderabad are among Rs 23,926 crore, the allocations will give a major rail network boost in Maharashtra.
Vaishnaw briefed the media on the record railway budget allocation of Rs 23,926 crore for Maharashtra for the financial year 2026.
The briefing was held through video conferencing and organised by Central Railway in Mumbai.
The Minister said this allocation is nearly 20 times higher than the average annual allocation of Rs 1,171 crore provided to the state during the period 2009-14.
The Minister announced that seven high-speed rail projects have been included in the budget, out of which two new bullet train corridors will pass through Maharashtra and Hyderabad.
- Mumbai-Pune: 48 minutes and
- Pune-Hyderabad: 1 hour 55 minutes
These projects are expected to significantly reduce travel time and improve inter-city connectivity, an official statement said.
Massive infra development underway
A total of railway works worth Rs 1,70,058 crore are currently under progress in Maharashtra. These include projects related to new track creation, station redevelopment, and safety improvements across the state.
132 stations to be redeveloped under Amrit scheme
Under the Amrit Station Scheme, 132 railway stations in Maharashtra have been identified for complete redevelopment.
Total investment: Rs 5,675 crore
The redevelopment aims to provide modern facilities and improve passenger experience.
Expansion of premium train services
Travel efficiency in Maharashtra has improved with the operation of premium train services -
- Vande Bharat Express: 12 pairs
- Amrit Bharat Express: 5 pairs
These services have enhanced speed, comfort, and connectivity.
Rapid growth of railway network
The Minister highlighted major achievements in railway expansion since 2014:
Track construction: Around 2,400 km of new tracks laid, more than the entire railway network of Malaysia
100 per cent electrification: 3,744 km of rail lines electrified since 2014
Road safety: 1,228 flyovers and underpasses constructed
Kavach safety system: Sanctioned for 4,971 route kilometres, with 576 km already commissioned and 3,617 km under tender or execution
Senior railway officials present
Senior officials were also present at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) during the press briefing among top officials present were Prateek Goswami, General Manager, Central Railway, Avanish Kumar Pandey, Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Rajneesh Mathur, Principal Chief Engineer, Arvind Malkhede, Principal Chief Commercial Manager and Hiresh Mina, Divisional Railway Manager, Mumbai Division.
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