Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said Punjab and Haryana had been allocated record budget this year, highlighting the Centre’s focus on strengthening rail infrastructure and connectivity in both states.Addressing the media along with Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, Vaishnaw said, “A record budget of Rs 5,673 crore has been allocated to Punjab, which is 25 times the allocation during the Congress government. While Haryana has been allocated a record Rs 3,566 crore, which is 11 times the budget during the Congress regime”.He said the massive investments had led to faster project execution, improved passenger amenities and completion of long-pending demands.He said in Punjab, 30 railway stations had been redeveloped and 100 per cent electrification had been achieved. Several projects that had been pending for years had now been completed, significantly improving rail services and connectivity.Vaishnaw also thanked Bittu for his cooperation and for highlighting the state’s connectivity requirements.Speaking about Haryana, Vaishnaw said railway projects worth nearly Rs 12,000 crore were currently underway in the state. Haryana has achieved 100 per cent electrification and is also benefiting from the dedicated freight corridor, boosting both passenger and freight movement.The Railway Minister further said several Vande Bharat trains were operating in Haryana, while many railway stations were being constructed or redeveloped. A number of new train services had also been introduced recently.Highlighting the redevelopment of the Chandigarh Railway Station, Vaishnaw said it was a large-scale project with a planned duration of about five years. While two years of work had already been completed, the remaining three years of construction were progressing at a rapid pace, he added.