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The Budget outlines a major push for environmentally sustainable passenger transport, with the proposed high-speed rail corridors
Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 9th budget today. (PTI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Union Budget 2026–27 is driven by “Yuvashakti” and guided by “three kartavyas”, as she proposed seven high-speed rail corridors, new dedicated freight corridors, and the operationalisation of 20 national waterways over the next five years. Follow Live Updates
The Budget outlines a major push for environmentally sustainable passenger transport, with the proposed high-speed rail corridors aimed at acting as growth connectors by cutting travel time, reducing emissions and boosting regional development.
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The planned routes include Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Hyderabad–Chennai, Chennai–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri, linking key financial hubs, technology centres, manufacturing clusters and emerging cities.
“In order to promote environmentally sustainable passenger systems, we will develop seven high-speed rail corridors between cities as growth connectors, namely Mumbai to Pune, Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Hyderabad to Chennai, and Chennai to Bengaluru. Delhi to Varanasi, Varanasi to Siliguri,” the finance minister said.
The Budget also laid strong emphasis on eco-tourism and nature-based travel, with Sitharaman highlighting India’s untapped potential in this sector. “India has the potential and opportunity to offer world-class trekking and hiking experience,” the finance minister said, announcing plans to develop sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in the Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and Pudigai Malai in the Western Ghats. Special trails for wildlife tourism will also be created, including turtle trails along nesting sites in Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala, and bird-watching trails around Pulicat Lake.
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The Budget further proposed major logistics and connectivity initiatives, including the creation of new dedicated freight corridors linking West Bengal’s Dangkuni in the east to Surat in the west, and the operationalisation of 20 national waterways over the next five years.
“Establish new dedicated freight corridors connecting West Bengal’s Dangkuni in the east to Surat in the west. Operationalise 20 new national waterways over the next five years to promote environmentally sustainable cargo movement,” Sitharaman said. The move is aimed at shifting more freight to inland waterways, which are considered more energy-efficient and cost-effective than road and rail transport.
Presenting the Union Budget in Parliament, Sitharaman said the government has proposed targeted interventions in six areas to accelerate and sustain economic growth, reiterating its commitment to reforms and steady policy momentum. “The reform express is running on its way and will maintain its momentum to help us fulfill our Kartavya,” she said.
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Under the first Kartavya, the finance minister said the government has identified six focus areas for intervention. These include scaling up manufacturing in seven strategic and frontier sectors to strengthen India’s industrial capabilities; rejuvenating legacy industries to preserve jobs and regional economies; creating champion micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to support employment and stability; delivering a strong push for infrastructure to drive productivity; ensuring long-term security and stability to build economic confidence; and developing city economic regions to spur growth across urban centres.
Together, she said, these measures reflect the government’s resolve to sustain reforms and support long-term economic expansion.
February 01, 2026, 12:33 IST
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