India, March 17 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
Over 300 km of viaduct construction completed
Significant progress in pier construction, track laying, and station development
Bridges completed across multiple rivers
Work underway on India's first undersea rail tunnel, with progress already achieved
Indian Railways is witnessing unprecedented expansion and modernisation, supported by a record budgetary allocation of around Rs.2.78 lakh crore in the Union Budget 2026-27. Responding to the discussion in Parliament on the Demands for Grants (2026-27) of the Ministry of Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw today highlighted that a key structural reform in the Railways was the merger of the Railway Budget with the General Budget, which has led to three major benefits. He described the ongoing transformation of Indian Railways as a shift from "slow growth" to "super-fast transformation", marking the beginning of a new era for the national transporter.
Firstly, it enabled substantial enhancement in budgetary support, increasing from about Rs.25,000-30,000 crore earlier to around Rs.2.78 lakh crore in the current financial year. Secondly, it facilitated continuous decision-making and approvals throughout the year, including sanctioning of projects, introduction of new services, and technology adoption. Thirdly, it brought in greater transparency and institutional monitoring, with projects being reviewed through systems involving the Ministry of Finance and NITI Aayog.
The Demands for Grants sought Parliamentary approval for the Ministry's detailed expenditure proposals from the Consolidated Fund of India, encompassing key priorities such as capacity augmentation, safety enhancement, network decongestion, and passenger amenities, while balancing significant operational commitments.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
