Budget 2026: India To Develop 7 High-Speed Rail Corridors Between Key Cities | Check List

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced that India will develop seven high-speed rail corridors between key cities. 

While presenting the Union Budget 2026-27 in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that India will develop seven high-speed rail corridors between key cities. The high-speed corridors will connect Mumbai to Pune, Hyderabad to Pune, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, Chennai to Bengaluru, Delhi to Varanasi, and Varanasi to Siliguri, said Nirmala Sitharaman.

Sitharaman added these corridors will serve as 'growth connectors' to promote environmentally sustainable passenger systems.

She also announced a new dedicated east-west freight corridor connecting Dankuni in the east with Surat in the west.

Sitharaman also proposed the operationalisation of 22 new national waterways over the next five years to promote multimodal transport and reduce logistics costs.

"These initiatives will strengthen freight movement and support sustainable cargo transportation," Sitharaman said.

The Budget 2026 arrives on the heels of sweeping structural changes, including the rollout of Labour Codes and ongoing GST reforms, even as India grapples with external headwinds such as steep US tariffs on Indian exports. In this challenging global climate, Sitharaman laid clear emphasis on bolstering manufacturing capabilities, accelerating infrastructure growth and safeguarding economic security.