2025-26UP rail budget 18 times more than UPA’s time

Lucknow: The 2025-26 rail budget for Uttar Pradesh is 18 times more than what was allocated during United Progressive Alliance's second tenure (UPA 2009-2014), claimed union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday.The railway has allocated Rs 19,858 crore for redevelopment of railway stations and upgradation of other infrastructures including signalling system, rail track, etc this year.The current budget is Rs 283 crore more than 2024-25. Between 2009-14, the rail budget for UP was 1,109 crore.Minister said, "In UPA 2 regime, on an average per year, 199 new tracks were laid in the country's most densely populated state, while between 2014-25, over 474 new rail tracks were laid per year. Similarly, 193 rail tracks were electrified between 2009-14 per year, while over 551 rail tracks were electrified to reduce carbon footprint in two regimes of NDA."A total of 6,064 km long track has been electrified since 2014, while 5,209 km of new rail track has been laid, equivalent to the entire rail network of Switzerland.Currently there are 70 ongoing new rail track projects covering 5,958 km worth Rs 96,283 crore. Likewise, to cover the rail network under Kavach Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, the railway has sanctioned a 4,876 km long rail network in Uttar Pradesh, which will be completed in six years. Furthermore, 157 stations in Uttar Pradesh are being redeveloped for Rs 7,695 crore. "In UP, the railway has installed 120 lifts, 130 escalators across various railway stations and provided Wi-Fi in 771 railway stations. Under the current regime, 1,568 rail flyovers and under-bridge have been constructed since 2014," said Vaishnaw, while talking to the media. He added, "Currently in UP, 14 Vande Bharat express are covering 20 districts. There is one Amrit Bharat express (Darbhanga-Anand Vihar Terminal), covering 10 districts in the state."The minister also commended UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's cooperation for letting railway-built infrastructure at steady pace.