Indian Railways Boosts Northeast: Record 11,486 Crore Allocated for 2026-27 Budget

• Indian Railways allocated a record 11,486 crore rupees for Assam and North-Eastern states in the 2026-27 budget, a five-fold increase since 2014.
• Projects worth 72,468 crore rupees are underway, including a proposed 69 km rail link from Kokrajhar to Gelephu in Bhutan.
• Manipur's stalled railway project resumed, and connectivity work in Sikkim and Nagaland is progressing rapidly.
• First Vande Bharat Sleeper and Amrit Bharat Express trains launched in January 2026, connecting Assam to West Bengal, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Significant advancements in safety include 502 flyovers/underpasses, 'Kavach' system implementation, and AI-based elephant intrusion detection.

Why It Matters: Indian Railways' record allocation and infrastructure projects are transforming connectivity and development in the Northeast.