Green Signal for Growth: Railways' ₹2.03 Lakh Crore Spending Spree

Indian Railways has utilised over 80 percent of its Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for 2025–26 by December 2025, spending ₹2,03,138 crore out of the total allocation of ₹2,52,200 crore. This marks a 6.54 percent increase in capital expenditure utilisation compared to the same period last year.

The spending has been largely directed toward safety enhancements, capacity expansion, infrastructure modernisation, and improved passenger amenities. Notably, 84 percent of the funds earmarked for safety and 80 percent allocated for customer amenities have already been utilised. Capacity augmentation projects have recorded expenditure of ₹76,048 crore against an allocation of ₹1,09,238 crore.

With the upcoming inauguration of the Vande Bharat sleeper train, Indian Railways is set to significantly enhance long-distance travel. The ministry highlighted that the impact of sustained capital investment over the past decade is visible through the introduction of 164 Vande Bharat train services, 30 Amrit Bharat trains, the implementation of the Kavach automatic train protection system, over 99 percent electrification of the broad-gauge network, and extensive progress in new line construction, gauge conversion, track doubling, and metropolitan rail systems.

The ministry added that the GBS expenditure plan remains on track and that the capital expenditure targets for the current financial year are likely to be fully achieved.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.