Budget 2026: Bullet Train to Connect Siliguri-Varanasi in Under 3 Hours; WB Gets ₹14,205 Cr

• Indian Railways receives a record allocation of ₹2,78,000 crore in Budget 2026 for modernization and capacity enhancement.
• West Bengal specifically allocated ₹14,205 crore for railway infrastructure development.
• A high-speed corridor between Varanasi and Siliguri via Patna announced for future bullet train operations, with plans to extend to Guwahati.
• Dankuni–Surat Freight Corridor announced, benefiting West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat by improving freight efficiency.
• Kolkata Metro network expanded by 45 km in 11 years since 2014, significantly more than the 27 km built in the preceding 40 years.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 boosts Indian Railways with record funds, high-speed corridors, and significant infrastructure upgrades for West Bengal.