Union Railway Budget 2026: Karnataka gets Rs 7,748 crore, up Rs 184 crore from last year

• Karnataka's railway budget rises by Rs 184 crore to Rs 7,748 crore.
• 61 stations in Karnataka set for redevelopment under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
• 97 percent of Karnataka's rail network is now electrified

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Karnataka has been allocated Rs 7,748 crore under Union railway budget for FY 2026-27, marking a marginal increase of Rs 184 crore over last year’s allocation of Rs 7,564 crore.

The modest rise places the state behind several major counterparts that have secured a significantly larger share of railway capital expenditure this year.

According to the state-wise break-up released by Union Ministry of Railways, Maharashtra received the highest allocation at Rs 23,926 crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh with Rs 20,012 crore and Gujarat with Rs 17,366 crore. Madhya Pradesh (Rs 15,188 crore) and West Bengal (Rs 14,205 crore) also figured among the top recipients. TDP-governed Andhra Pradesh received Rs 10,134 crore-higher than Karnataka-while Tamil Nadu received a slightly lower Rs 7,611 crore.

Also, read: Union Budget 2026: Karnataka says Bengaluru-Mumbai or Pune high speed rail would benefit the state more

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said projects worth nearly Rs 53,000 crore are under execution in Karnataka and said proposed high-speed rail corridors linking Bengaluru with Chennai and Hyderabad, which are expected to reduce travel time and boost regional economic activity.

“Karnataka has witnessed an unprecedented transformation in railway infrastructure, driven by a historic increase in budgetary allocation and sustained investment over the past decade. The average annual railway budget allocation for the state has risen sharply from Rs 835 crore during 2009-14 to Rs 7,748 crore in 2026-27 - nearly a nine-fold increase - aimed at modernising rail transport in the state,” Vaishnaw said.

He also urged the state government to expedite land acquisition to ensure timely completion of pending projects.

Officials familiar with the planning process said Karnataka’s allocation for the current year will largely be utilised for ongoing works, including track doubling, electrification, capacity expansion on congested routes and station redevelopment under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Bengaluru Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ashutosh Kumar Singh said: “Under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 61 stations in Karnataka have been identified for redevelopment at an estimated cost of Rs 2,110 crore. Work has been completed at several stations, while others are at advanced stages of execution”.

“Rail connectivity in the state has also improved with the introduction of 12 pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains and three pairs of Amrit Bharat Express services. Network expansion has continued, with about 1,750 km of new railway lines added since 2014. Electrification now covers nearly 97 percent of Karnataka’s rail network” he said.

Also, read: Union Budget 2026: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah slams retention of 41% tax devolution, says states’ fiscal responsibilities ignored