New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Saturday said the Budget 2025-26 maintained the government's continuous push to improve Railways by allocating Rs 2.52 lakh crore to it and approving projects such as manufacturing 17,500 general coaches, 200 Vande Bharat and 100 Amrit Bharat trains, among others.

"New projects worth Rs 4.6 lakh crore have been included in the budget which will be completed in four to five years. These are related to laying of new lines, doubling, quadrupling, new constructions, station redevelopment, flyover, under-passes among many others," the Railway minister told reporters at Rail Bhawan here.

He added that 100 Amrit Bharat, 50 Namo Bharat and 200 Vande Bharat -- both sleepers as well as chair car variants -- will be manufactured in the next two to three years. "With new Amrit Bharat trains, we will connect many more short-distance cities." Regarding general coaches, Vaishnaw said 17,500 such coaches have been approved for manufacturing in the coming years.

"The manufacturing of general coaches is already going on and 1400 such coaches will be manufactured by the end of March 31. In FY 2025-26, our target is to manufacture 2,000 general coaches. Besides, 1,000 new flyovers have been approved for construction,” Vaishnaw said.

"Another big milestone which the Railways is going to achieve by March 31 is regarding our cargo carrying capacity. We will achieve the target of carrying 1.6 billion tonnes of cargo by March 31 to become the second largest cargo-carrying railways in the world after China." The minister also announced, "We are going to achieve 100 per cent electrification by the end of this financial year." Highlighting the government's focus on investment in the safety of rail operation, Vaishnaw said the allocation for it has been increased from Rs 1.08 lakh crore to Rs 1.14 lakh crore. In the next financial year, it will be further enhanced to Rs 1.16 lakh crore." According to Vaishnaw, the total budget is Rs 2.64 lakh crore when PPP investments are combined to it. "It is a big and comprehensive effort to improve Railways," he said. PTI JP JP NSD NSD

Railway capital allocation expands funding and approves large scale train manufacturing alongside electrification and safety upgrades. The national budget increases the railways' capital envelope and, with public private partnership contributions, funds a programme of expansion and modernisation-new lines, capacity works, station redevelopment and grade separations-and authorises large scale manufacture of general coaches and multiple train types. The plan sets operational milestones including full electrification within the year, a stepped up freight capacity target, and higher allocations for rail safety with further increases planned next year.