Railway Budget: 40,000 Vande Bharat-standard coaches, 3 new corridors announced
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a capital expenditure of Rs. 2.55 lakh crore for Indian Railways in the new financial year. This marks a slight increase from the Rs. 2.4 lakh crore allocated in the financial year 2023-24. In her speech, the finance minister also said that 40,000 railway bogies will be upgraded to Vande Bharat standards for improved safety and passenger comfort. The plans for three new railway corridors were also unveiled during the interim budget.
New corridors to enhance multi-modal connectivity
The finance minister said that the new railway corridors will enhance multi-modal connectivity, reduce costs, and boost efficiency. These corridors, part of the PM Gati Shakti scheme, include the Energy, Mineral, and Cement Corridor, the Port Connectivity Corridor, and the High Traffic Density Corridor. Meanwhile, the full budget for the next fiscal is scheduled to be presented after the Lok Sabha elections by the newly elected government.
Where to watch Sitharaman's speech?
Sitharaman's budget speech is being telecast live on the official channel of Parliament Sansad TV and Doordarshan. Also, the Union Interim Budget 2024 can be accessed in a paperless form through the Union Budget Mobile App. The bilingual app, available in English and Hindi, can be downloaded on Android, iOS, or the Union Budget web portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in). The budget documents will be available on the mobile app following the conclusion of the budget speech.
