New Delhi, Feb 1 (.) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday unveiled an ambitious infrastructure push in the union Budget 2026-27, announcing plans to develop seven high-speed rail corridors to strengthen inter-city connectivity and accelerate economic growth.
Presenting the Budget in Parliament, Sitharaman said the proposed corridors will link major urban and industrial centres, with key routes including Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Bengaluru, and Bengaluru–Chennai. The initiative is aimed at reducing travel time, boosting regional integration, and supporting India’s long-term logistics and infrastructure modernisation goals.
“We propose the development of seven high-speed rail corridors as part of efforts to boost connectivity and infrastructure in India. Key routes include: Mumbai to Pune; Pune to Hyderabad; Hyderabad to Bengaluru; Bengaluru to Chennai. Additional corridors are planned to further strengthen regional connectivity and economic growth across the country under the union Budget 2026-27,” the FM said.
The FM also announced plans to operationalise 20 additional national waterways over the next five years. The initiative will begin with National Waterway-5 in Odisha, designed to link the mineral-rich regions of Talcher and Angul, as well as key industrial hubs such as Kalinganagar, with the ports of Paradip and Dhamra.
“I propose to establish new dedicated freight corridors connecting Dankuni in the East to Surat in the West, operationalise 20 new national waterways over the next five years. Starting with National Waterways 5 in Odisha to connect mineral rich areas of Talcher and Angul and industrial centers like Kalinganagar to the ports of Paradip and Dhamra. Training institutes will be set up as regional centers of excellence for development of required manpower for these waterways. This will benefit youth in the entire stretch of the waterways to train and acquire skills. Further, a ship repair ecosystem catering to inland waterways will also be set up at Varanasi and Patna,” she said.
. PWS RB 1350