Budget 2026: 7 New High-Speed Rail Corridors Announced for City Connectivity

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled plans for seven high-speed rail corridors in Budget 2026.
• These corridors aim to connect major cities and foster 'growth corridors' across India.
• Key routes include Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Siliguri.
• The Modi government has significantly accelerated track laying, averaging 8.57 km per day since 2014-25, more than double the previous period.
• Indian Railways commissioned over 900 km of new track lines between April and November 2025, focusing on safer and faster travel.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 introduces 7 new high-speed rail corridors to boost connectivity and economic growth.