The Centre has allocated Rs 14,205 crore for railway infrastructure in West Bengal in the Union Budget for 2026-27, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday, adding a high-speed rail corridor between Varanasi and Siliguri, which is slated to be extended to Assam, has also been sanctioned.
Vaishnaw also said that the 2052-km-long Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) from Dankuni to Surat in Gujarat, which aims to connect and decongest networks, a move that has boosted goods movement in other zones.
Speaking about other railway safety projects, Vaishnaw said, “In a bid to end elephant fatalities on tracks, AI-based technology will be deployed to detect animal movement near railway lines.”
Addressing concerns over pending Metro railway projects, the Railway Minister spoke about the persistent land acquisition issues as he pointed to the Chinrighata Metro project in Kolkata, alleging that despite court orders, the state has yet to provide the necessary land.
“There is no issue with funds for the Kolkata Metro. Just if we get the permission, the work will be done,” he said.
Comparing the pace of development under the UPA government, Vaishnaw said, “While 27 km of metro lines were laid over 40 years, the NDA government has completed 45km in just 11 years.”
Sealdah Division added 44 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) services last year, with a total of 115 new trains introduced across the state, he added.
“In this budget (2026-27) there has been a record allocation of Rs 14,205 crores for West Bengal against the average allocation of Rs 4,380 crores during the period from 2009 to 2014. In this current budget, the total outlay for Railways modernization and expansion in Jharkhand is Rs 7,536 crores against the average outlay of Rs 457 crores during 2009 to 2014. For Odisha, there has been a total allocation of Rs 10,928 crores for 2026-27 against the average outlay of Rs 838 crores during 2009 to 2014,” read a statement by South Eastern Railways.
“This massive investment covers track creation, station redevelopment and safety enhancements across the states. With a view to redefine the passenger experience, a total of 101 stations in West Bengal, 57 stations in Jharkhand and 59 stations in Odisha have been identified for complete redevelopment under the Amrit Station Scheme,” said Anil Kumar Mishra, General Manager, South Eastern Railway.
Hailing the Siliguri-Varanasi high-speed rail corridor, among seven new train routes, Eastern Railway General Manager Milind K Deouskar said, “It is great news. The bullet train corridor, which aims to connect North Bengal with Uttar Pradesh, may take 6-7 years to complete.” “The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is a priority,” he added.
However, he voiced concerns over the state government’s “lack of cooperation” on critical projects.
Addressing a press conference, he said, “Out of 100 Road Over Bridges (ROBs) sanctioned under Eastern Railway, at least 70 are in West Bengal where we are not getting the land or in-principle approval. Even though the Railway is now funding 100 per cent of the cost — moving away from the old 50-50 per cent share model — we are still facing problems.”
He further stated that correspondence at the chief secretary-level has yet to yield a resolution, causing daily operational strain.
“At busy level crossings, trains are frequently forced to stop for 10-15 minutes, severely impacting mobility,” he said.
Addressing the issues of vandalism, Deouskar said that 150 cases of stone-pelting were recorded last year, with Malda Division being the most affected. Railway authorities are now conducting counseling sessions in schools to sensitise children, he said.
“We expect the same love from our passengers that we have for them. Even if you are angry, don’t take it out on the railway infrastructure. If the signaling or tracks are damaged, it takes a lot of time to recoup,” he said.
Uday Shankar Jha, currently serving as Principal Chief Commercial Manager (CHOD) in Eastern Railway was also present during the briefing.