Calling the Union Budget 2026-27 a “roadmap to Viksit Bharat”, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said the government has made an unprecedented push to transform Indian Railways through massive investments in safety, modernisation and high-speed connectivity.Addressing mediapersons after the Union Budget, Vaishnaw said, “The Railways has received a record capital outlay of Rs 2.78 lakh crore, with a total capital expenditure of Rs 2.93 lakh crore, underlining the Centre’s focus on building a future-ready transportation network.”The minister said the increased allocation would significantly accelerate work related to railway safety, modernisation and passenger amenities. Highlighting past achievements, he noted that railway safety had improved by 95 per cent, while accidents had reduced by 95 per cent. “Building on this progress, the government will further strengthen safety through enhanced track and asset maintenance, locomotive, wagon and coach maintenance, rapid installation of Kavach, CCTV surveillance, OHE upgradation and construction of modern stations,” he added.These measures, he said, would not only improve safety, but also greatly enhance passenger experience. A major highlight of the Budget was the announcement of seven new high-speed rail corridors, which are expected to transform the country’s transportation landscape.The minister said the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project was already drawing global attention due to the pace and quality of execution, reflecting India’s growing capabilities in advanced rail infrastructure.Among the new proposals is a South Indian high-speed triangle connecting Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, which will benefit Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Under this plan, Chennai-Bengaluru travel time will reduce to 1 hour 13 minutes, Bengaluru-Hyderabad to 2 hours and Chennai-Hyderabad to 2 hours 55 minutes.The minister said connecting these major economic and IT hubs through high-speed rail would act as a powerful growth multiplier for the southern states and the nation.The Budget also proposes a Mumbai-Pune high-speed corridor, cutting travel time between the two cities to just 48 minutes, effectively integrating the two major urban economies. Additionally, Pune-Hyderabad will be reachable in 1 hour 55 minutes.In north India, a high-speed corridor linking Delhi and Varanasi, covering several cities in Uttar Pradesh, has been announced. Travel time between Delhi and Varanasi will reduce to 3 hours 50 minutes, while Varanasi to Siliguri via Patna will take just 2 hours 55 minutes. This corridor is expected to create a vast economic belt across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, driving growth in healthcare, education and allied sectors.Overall, the seven new high-speed corridors will span nearly 4,000 km, involving an estimated investment of around Rs 16 lakh crore. In addition, the government has announced new Dedicated Freight Corridors. The minister noted that the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors have already seen significant progress and are nearing saturation, with around 400 trains operating daily, strengthening India’s logistics and supply chain backbone.Replying to a question on the food menu in the Vande Bharat sleeper, Vaishnaw said the Indian Railways would soon begin offering non-vegetarian food on Vande Bharat sleeper trains.