Sat Feb 01 16:08:02 UTC 2025: ## India’s 2025-26 Budget Promises a Faster, Safer, and More Comfortable Railway System
**New Delhi** – India’s Union Budget for 2025-26 has allocated a massive ₹252,000 crore (approximately $30.6 billion USD) to the Ministry of Railways, marking a significant boost to the country’s rail infrastructure. Union Railways and Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw hailed the budget as “amazing,” stating that the funding will accelerate the expansion of faster, safer, and more comfortable rail travel across India.
The investment will translate into a significant increase in train capacity and modernization over the next two to three years. This includes the introduction of 200 new Vande Bharat trains, 100 Amrit Bharat trains, 50 Namo Bharat rapid rail trains, and 17,500 new general non-AC coaches. Minister Vaishnaw emphasized that these improvements will greatly benefit the low and middle classes.
The budget also allocates ₹116,000 crore (approximately $14 billion USD) towards enhancing railway safety through various projects, forming part of a larger ₹460,000 crore (approximately $55.6 billion USD) investment in overall railway infrastructure development. Further, the budget includes provisions for debt servicing and operational losses on strategic lines.
Beyond the immediate improvements, the budget reflects India’s long-term vision for its railway system. The country aims to achieve 100% railway electrification by the end of FY 2025-26, leveraging the budget’s support for small modular reactors as a source of clean energy. Furthermore, India is targeting a 7,000 km high-speed rail network capable of speeds up to 250 km/h by 2047. The Indian Railways also projects becoming the second-largest freight carrier globally, transporting 1.6 billion tonnes of cargo by the end of the fiscal year. The minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for their commitment to the railway’s modernization.
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