Union Budget 2026 announces seven high-speed rail corridors

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Budget speech, announced seven high-speed railway corridors in India.

Calling them growth connectors, Ms. Sitharaman said the high-speed rail corridors will connect Mumbai to Pune, Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Chennai, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Chennai to Bengaluru, Delhi to Varanasi and Varanasi to Siliguri.

Ms. Sitharaman was presenting her ninth Budget in the Parliament on Sunday (February 1, 2026). This is the first time in the history of India that the Union Budget is being presented on a Sunday.

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The Finance Minister said this is being done to develop environmentally sustainable passenger system.

It’s interesting to note that no high speed rail corridor was announced for Kerala, despite the State budget mentioning it on Thursday (January 29, 2026). There was anticipation that the Union Budget will provide clarity on the future of the proposed semi-high-speed rail project connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur. The proposed semi-high-speed rail project remains the State’s most keenly awaited announcement.