Union Budget unveils 7 high-speed rail routes to connect key economic hubs in India
The planned routes include Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Hyderabad–Chennai, Chennai–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri.
The planned routes include Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Hyderabad–Chennai, Chennai–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri.
The planned routes include Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Hyderabad–Chennai, Chennai–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri.
New Delhi: The Central Government on Sunday unveiled plans to build seven high-speed rail corridors connecting major urban and economic hubs across the country. Presenting the Union Budget 2026–27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the proposed corridors would function as growth enablers by shortening travel time, lowering carbon emissions and promoting balanced regional development.
The planned routes include Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Hyderabad–Chennai, Chennai–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri.
According to the Union minister, the corridors will bring together financial centres, technology hubs, manufacturing clusters and fast-growing cities through quicker and cleaner transport networks.
"In order to promote environmentally sustainable passenger systems, we will develop seven high-speed rail corridors between cities as growth connectors, namely Mumbai to Pune, Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Hyderabad to Chennai, Chennai to Bengaluru, Delhi to Varanasi, Varanasi to Siliguri," she said.
Sitharaman also announced the formation of a high-level committee on banking for Viksit Bharat. The panel will examine the banking sector in its entirety and recommend reforms to support the country’s next phase of economic expansion, while ensuring financial stability, inclusion and consumer protection, reported IANS.
Highlighting the health of the financial system, the finance minister said Indian banks are currently well placed, with strong balance sheets, robust profitability and improved management of non-performing assets.
She further said that regulations governing non-debt foreign investments under foreign exchange laws will be reviewed to make them more contemporary and investor-friendly, in line with evolving economic needs.
For the labour-intensive textile industry, Sitharaman proposed a comprehensive programme with five major components. The first among them is the National Fibre Scheme, which seeks to boost self-reliance in natural fibres such as silk, wool and jute, along with man-made and next-generation industrial fibres.