Big rail boost for Telangana, Hyderabad eyes bullet trains
Railway Minister Vaishnaw detailed a Rs 5,454 crore boost and unveiled new bullet train routes linking Hyderabad with major cities.
Hyderabad is set for a big railway push after Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a fresh allocation of Rs 5,454 crore for Telangana. Speaking on Monday, February 2, the minister said the Union Budget 2026–27 marks a major step forward for rail development in the state and places Hyderabad at the heart of India’s future bullet train network.
Vaishnaw was addressing a virtual press conference from New Delhi, a day after the Union Budget was presented. He shared state-wise railway spending details and explained how Telangana fits into the Centre’s long-term rail plans.
According to the minister, Hyderabad will play a key role in the second phase of India’s high-speed rail journey. He said three bullet train corridors linked to Hyderabad have been proposed.
With these routes, Vaishnaw said, Hyderabad will turn into one of the most important bullet train hubs in the country. The city will act as a bridge between southern and western India, making long-distance travel faster and easier.
He also pointed out that railway investment in Telangana has grown sharply in recent years. Vaishnaw said projects worth Rs 47,984 crore are currently underway in the state. This, he added, is nearly six times more than what Telangana received during the Congress-led UPA years.
Calling the Budget a “record” one, the minister said states included in the high-speed rail plan will see strong growth in the coming years.
Talking about the Hyderabad–Bengaluru–Chennai corridor, Vaishnaw said it will be built as a diamond-shaped high-speed rail network. In this setup, Hyderabad and Bengaluru will serve as key points that link major cities in South India.
He said this faster connectivity will change how people travel between cities. It will also bring states closer in terms of trade, jobs, and business activity.
The minister shared expected travel times once the bullet trains become operational. Travel to Chennai may be completed in under three hours. Pune could be reached in around one hour and 55 minutes, while Mumbai may be under three hours away.
He added that such speed will open new doors for companies, workers, and investors across regions.
To reduce impact on land and local communities, Vaishnaw said all high-speed rail corridors will be built on elevated tracks. This, he explained, will help avoid large-scale land acquisition and limit disruption to villages, towns, and natural landscapes along the routes.
He said Detailed Project Reports are nearly complete. Work on alignments and design is also in the final stages. Construction is expected to begin soon, though exact timelines were not shared.
Vaishnaw also spoke about lessons learned from India’s first bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. He said that project helped Indian engineers and construction teams gain valuable experience in high-speed rail technology.
“Because of that experience, we are now better prepared,” he said. He added that the country is ready to move faster in the second phase of bullet train expansion.
The minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for pushing high-speed rail as a national priority. He said the Centre is now focused on connecting major economic regions through fast and reliable rail lines.
These announcements follow Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget speech on Sunday. In her address, she proposed seven high-speed rail corridors across India and described them as growth connectors.
Among those corridors, the Hyderabad–Bengaluru and Hyderabad–Chennai routes are expected to play a big role. They will link Hyderabad directly with the capitals of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, strengthening the city’s position as a key travel and business centre.
For Telangana, the message from the Centre is clear. Big money is being put into railways, and Hyderabad is set to move faster than ever. If plans stay on track, the city could soon be known not just for IT and culture, but also for speed on rails.