Synopsis
In a recent announcement, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the ambitious plans for Indian Railways, including the introduction of 200 new Vande Bharat trains, 100 Amrit Bharat trains, and enhanced budgetary support aimed at improving rail infrastructure and services over the next few years.Key Takeaways
- 200 new Vande Bharat trains
- 100 Amrit Bharat trains
- Infrastructure projects worth Rs 4,60,000 crore
- 100 percent electrification by FY 2025-26
- Significant budgetary support for railways
New Delhi, Feb 1 (NationPress) Referring to the Union Budget 2025-26 as “remarkable”, Union Railways and Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Saturday that with the substantial funding, Indian Railways is poised to enhance rapid, safe, and comfortable rail travel throughout the nation.
The minister announced that the nation can anticipate “200 new Vande Bharat trains, 100 Amrit Bharat trains, 50 Namo Bharat rapid rail, and 17,500 general non-AC coaches in the upcoming two to three years.”
Vaishnaw expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for allocating Rs 2,52,000 crore for the financial year (FY) 2025-26 as gross budgetary support to the Ministry of Railways, marking the second consecutive year of such support.
He added that “the new trains and modern coaches will significantly benefit low and middle-class individuals.”
This year’s Budget outlines infrastructure development projects for the Railways amounting to Rs 4,60,000 crore. Emphasizing safety, the budget allocates Rs 1,16,000 crore towards enhancing the safety of Indian Railways through various initiatives.
After the Union Budget presentation in Lok Sabha, the minister remarked that the budget not only aims to create employment through investments but also provides substantial relief to the middle class by reducing the income tax burden.
The budget estimates a reimbursement of losses on the operation of strategic lines at Rs 2,739.18 crore, as opposed to Rs 2,602.81 crore in last fiscal’s revised estimates of 2024-25.
A provision of Rs 706 crore is allocated this fiscal year for debt servicing of market borrowings linked to national projects.
Consequently, the net revenue expenditure of Indian Railways is projected at Rs 3,02,100 crore in this year’s budget estimates, compared to Rs 2,79,000 crore in the previous fiscal's revised estimates.
This fiscal’s gross budgetary support is nearly nine times what it was in 2013-14, when it stood at only Rs 28,174 crore.
Indian Railways is set to become the second highest freight-carrying railway, aiming to reach 1.6 billion tonnes of cargo by the end of this fiscal year.
Regarding high-speed trains, India envisions a 7,000 km high-speed rail network capable of supporting speeds of up to 250 km per hour by 2047.
Discussing sustainability initiatives, the Railway Minister noted that Indian Railways will achieve 100 percent electrification by the end of FY 2025-26. Additionally, with the budget announcing small modular reactors as a source of non-fossil energy, Indian Railways will spearhead electrification efforts.
