Sun Feb 02 10:06:55 UTC 2025: ## Railway Minister Vaishnav hails Budget 2025 as a “Dream Budget,” Announces Major Railway Expansion

**New Delhi, February 1, 2025** – Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav today lauded the Union Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, calling it a “dream budget” that provides both immediate relief and lays the foundation for future growth. While the railway ministry received a relatively modest additional allocation of ₹52 crore, Minister Vaishnav emphasized that the overall budgetary support for railways stands at ₹2.5 lakh crore. He highlighted that this allocation maintains the momentum of the last 10 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on electrification, track expansion, station improvements, technological advancements, and safety enhancements.

The budget includes the sanctioning of ₹4.60 lakh crore for new projects encompassing new lines, track doubling, workshop improvements, and maintenance upgrades. A significant ₹1.16 lakh crore has been allocated towards safety improvements. Ambitious plans include the launch of 50 new “Namo Bharat” trains for shorter distances (e.g., Kanpur-Lucknow, Bengaluru-Mysore) and 100 new “Amrit Bharat” trains offering affordable long-distance travel with Vande Bharat-like amenities (₹450 for 1000 km). Furthermore, the budget provisions for 200 new Vande Bharat trains, 1000 underpasses and flyovers, and the ongoing construction of 1300 new railway stations across the country.

Addressing the progress of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail line, Minister Vaishnav stated that 340 kilometers of work have been completed, with bridge construction currently underway. He also mentioned the use of AI in platform improvements. Regarding concerns surrounding China’s AI model, DeepSeek, and data security, Minister Vaishnav confirmed that a detailed investigation is underway, and India will act based on expert evaluation. He concluded by expressing confidence in India’s rapidly growing economy, projecting that it will cross a significant milestone in 2026.

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