Railways Get Record Budget: Train Service to Uri, 7 New High-Speed Corridors Announced

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the extension of rail services to Uri in Jammu & Kashmir, with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) already prepared. The budget also includes plans for seven new high-speed rail corridors, including the Delhi-Varanasi route. Additionally, 238 new automatic trains will be introduced to ease congestion on Mumbai locals.

Uri Rail Service to Boost Connectivity in J&K
Following the operationalization of the rail link from Katra to Srinagar, Indian Railways is now preparing to extend train services from Baramulla to Uri, near the Pakistan border. Minister Vaishnaw stated that the DPR is complete, and work will commence soon.

Seven New High-Speed Rail Corridors Announced
Railways received a record budget of ₹2.78 lakh crore this year. The Finance Minister announced seven new bullet train corridors spanning nearly 4,000 km, connecting major cities: Delhi-Varanasi, Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, and Varanasi-Siliguri.
With the completion of the first phase (Mumbai-Ahmedabad) and the second phase including these seven corridors, a total of approximately 4,500 km of high-speed rail projects are now underway. A third phase covering an additional 3,000 km will be announced soon, significantly reducing travel time across these regions.

Mumbai Locals to Get 238 New Automatic Trains
To address the severe congestion in Mumbai local trains, 238 new automatic trains, similar to metro systems but equipped with superior oxygen circulation and passenger facilities, will be introduced. Currently, Mumbai locals run 3,400 trips per day; the addition of these trains will increase this capacity further.

Delhi to Receive First High-Speed Rail Link to Varanasi
Delhi has been allocated ₹2,711 crore, which will be used to establish the Delhi-Varanasi high-speed rail corridor. Minister Vaishnaw also highlighted the completion of a new rail bridge over the Yamuna and the upcoming introduction of the country’s first hydrogen-powered train after testing. Plans for world-class stations in Delhi are underway, with construction designed to continue without disrupting current train services.

Record Railway Allocation for Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh received ₹20,012 crore, 18 times higher than allocations during the previous Congress government. Currently, projects worth ₹92,000 crore are underway, including two bullet train corridors: Delhi-Varanasi and Varanasi-Siliguri. The state is also seeing the redevelopment of 157 railway stations, which will greatly enhance connectivity and train services over the next five years. DPR work for additional bullet train projects in the state is expected to begin shortly.

Minister Vaishnaw further mentioned improvements in rail connectivity across Haridwar, Haryana, and other states, reflecting a nationwide push to modernize and expand India’s railway network.