Railways Spent 98% of FY26 Capex by February, New High-Speed Corridors to Cut Travel Times

Indian Railways utilised 98% of its capital expenditure budget for fiscal year 2026 by the end of February, Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday, May 11, 2026, citing rapid project execution. The remaining spending was deferred to ensure fiscal year closure, following near-total capex absorption by early March in the previous year.

Vaishnaw stated that 49,000 route kilometers of Indian Railways have been electrified, exceeding Germany's total rail network length, and 36,000 kilometers of new track have been laid—equivalent to six times Switzerland's network. He attributed the accelerated rollout to improved planning and execution capacity.

The minister announced upcoming rail corridors with drastically reduced travel times: Mumbai to Pune in 28 minutes, Pune to Hyderabad in 1 hour 55 minutes, and Hyderabad to Bengaluru in about two hours. Bengaluru to Chennai will take 78 minutes, Delhi to Varanasi 3 hours 50 minutes, and Delhi to Lucknow around two hours.

Vaishnaw predicted rail will capture 99% of passenger traffic on these routes, effectively replacing air travel between these city pairs. He advised potential airline investors to reconsider exposure to these corridors.

The government will continue expanding high-speed rail infrastructure, with tendering and land acquisition underway for additional corridors, officials said.