Gandhinagar, March 1 Gujarat has been allocated Rs 17,366 crore in this year's Union Budget for railway development, marking a sharp rise from earlier years, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Sunday.
Speaking after the inauguration of Gujarat Semiconnect Conference-2026 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Vaishnaw said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, railway infrastructure across India is undergoing rapid transformation.
"As a result of the historic decisions taken by the Central Government for the comprehensive development of railways in Gujarat, a new era of transportation and connectivity has begun in the state," he said.
Vaishnaw stated that during the UPA government between 2009 and 2014, Gujarat received Rs 589 crore annually in railway allocations.
"In comparison, the present government has allocated Rs 17,366 crore for Gujarat this year, which is a record-breaking budget," he said, adding that the manifold increase would help modernise the state's rail network and enhance passenger amenities.
He said railway projects worth Rs 1.28 lakh crore were currently under execution in Gujarat.
As part of the Amrit Station Scheme, 87 stations in the state have been selected for redevelopment as world-class facilities, of which 21 have been completed.
Work is progressing at key stations including Ahmedabad, Sabarmati, Surat, Una and Somnath.
"After redevelopment, Ahmedabad railway station will provide passengers with international-level facilities," he said.
Referring to India's first high-speed rail corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Vaishnaw said the Centre was preparing to operationalise the bullet train next year.
"Once completed, travel between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will be completed in just one hour and 57 minutes at a speed of 350 kilometres per hour," he said.
He added that senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office of Japan had recently reviewed the project's progress and expressed satisfaction.
The minister further said that Prime Minister Modi had approved seven new high-speed rail routes that would connect other cities with similar services in the future.
Vaishnaw said cooperation from the state government under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had helped projects advance faster than scheduled timelines, adding that "modern railways and high-speed connectivity would strengthen transport infrastructure in the state".
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