Budget proposes high-speed rail links to Bengaluru; rail activists flag lack of clarity

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget 2026–27 on Sunday (February 1, 2026), announced seven proposed High-Speed Rail (HSR) corridors across the country, describing them as “growth connectors”.

Among the seven corridors listed, the Hyderabad–Bengaluru and Chennai–Bengaluru routes are expected to directly connect Bengaluru with the two other State capitals. The other proposed corridors include Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Chennai, Delhi–Varanasi and Varanasi–Siliguri. “In order to promote environmentally sustainable passenger systems, we will develop seven High-Speed Rail corridors between cities as ‘growth connectors’,” Ms. Sitharaman said during her Budget speech.

Meanwhile, the Union Budget 2026–27 has earmarked ₹500 crore as budgetary support for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), up from ₹350 crore in the previous financial year (2025–26).

High speed rail draws mixed response

The announcement has been welcomed by rail activists and urban mobility experts, though they remain cautious about the timeline and execution of the ambitious proposal. Krishna Prasad, a Bengaluru-based railway activist, said that the improved high-speed rail connectivity between major southern cities was long overdue. “Connecting cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai through high-speed rail is a positive step and very much needed. However, the Budget does not clarify whether these corridors will be developed on existing railway alignments or through entirely new dedicated infrastructure. Without such details, it is difficult to assess how soon these projects can realistically take off,” he told The Hindu.

Mr. Prasad also expressed disappointment over the lack of detailed announcements related to other railway projects. He noted that earlier, when Railways had a separate budget, there was greater clarity and public engagement. “The merger of the Railway Budget with the general Budget may have been administratively sound, but it has taken away the transparency and excitement that once surrounded railway announcements. This year, apart from brief mentions, there are no concrete details on funding or timelines for key rail projects,” he said.

He added that expectations were high for enhanced funding for railway and metro projects in Karnataka. “There was hope for increased allocation to metro expansion and long-pending railway lines connecting western Karnataka with Kalyana Karnataka. Projects such as Hubballi–Raichur, Tumakuru–Rayadurga, Tumakuru–Chitradurga–Davanagere, and the Belagavi–Dharwad line need sustained funding so they can be completed without further delay. These links are crucial for improving intra-State rail connectivity,” he said.

Budget lacks focus on everyday commuter issues

Rajkumar Dugar, convenor of Citizens for Citizens, termed the Budget “highly technical” and as lacking focus on everyday commuter issues. “For a city like Bengaluru, now ranked as the second most congested globally, there is nothing for metro expansion or even bus transport. High-speed rail sounds impressive, but it will take at least a decade to materialise. My concern is about today and tomorrow,” he said, expressing disappointment with Bengaluru’s Members of Parliament for not pushing harder for public transport investments.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil said that while the announcement of high-speed corridors involving Bengaluru is welcome, the benefits to the State are minimal. He argued that a Bengaluru–Pune high-speed rail corridor would have been far more beneficial. Mr. Patil urged MPs from Karnataka and Maharashtra to collectively demand this corridor, cutting across party lines.