Chandigarh, Feb 3 (PTI) – The Union government has significantly boosted railway infrastructure funding for Punjab and Haryana in the latest Union Budget, with allocations of ₹5,421 crore and ₹3,416 crore, respectively, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Monday.
Highlighting the substantial increase in funding, Vaishnaw stated that this year’s allocation for Punjab is 24 times greater than the ₹225 crore allocated between 2009 and 2014. Similarly, Haryana’s railway budget has seen an 11-fold rise from ₹315 crore received during the same period.
The minister also revealed that 30 Amrit stations are under development in Punjab with an investment of ₹1,122 crore, while Haryana will see the transformation of 34 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of ₹1,149 crore.
Amrit Stations in Punjab and Haryana
The modernized stations in Punjab will include key locations such as Abohar, Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, Beas, Bathinda, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar Cantt, Mansa, and Malerkotla. Meanwhile, Haryana's list features Ambala Cantt, Ambala City, Bahadurgarh, Ballabhgarh, Bhiwani Junction, Charkhi Dadri, Faridabad, Faridabad New Town, Gohana, Hansi, Hisar, Hodal, Jind Junction, Kalanwali, Kalka, Karnal, Kosli, Kurukshetra Junction, Loharu, and Mahendragarh.Focus on Safety and Infrastructure Expansion
Vaishnaw emphasized the government's priority on railway safety, noting that ₹1.16 lakh crore has been earmarked for safety measures, including the upgradation of old tracks and the implementation of the KAVACH safety system.Since 2014, Punjab has seen the addition of 382 km of new railway tracks, surpassing the total rail network of the Philippines. In Haryana, 823 km of railway tracks have been laid—comparable to the entire railway network of the United Arab Emirates.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the railway minister, stating that the increased allocation would significantly strengthen the state's rail connectivity and infrastructure.
The substantial railway investment in Punjab and Haryana reflects the government's commitment to enhancing regional connectivity, boosting economic development, and ensuring safer rail operations.
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