Bhubaneswar, Feb 2: The Centre has earmarked a record ₹10,928 crore for the railway sector in Odisha in the Union Budget 2026–27, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has allocated a total outlay of ₹2.78 lakh crore for Indian Railways in the Union Budget 2026. Vaishnaw said that railway projects worth approximately ₹90,659 crore are currently under execution in Odisha. With the latest allocation, the cumulative investment in the state’s railway infrastructure has now crossed ₹1 lakh crore.
The minister also highlighted that the proposed East–West Dedicated Freight Corridor will pass through Odisha, significantly boosting freight movement and industrial connectivity.
As part of safety initiatives, Indian Railways plans to install AI-based thermal cameras along railway tracks to prevent collisions with elephants, Vaishnaw added.
In the previous financial year (2025–26), the Centre had allocated ₹10,599 crore for the railway sector in Odisha.
Key focus areas in Odisha
Railway projects worth ₹90,659 crore are currently underway across the state. These include new railway lines, track doubling, station modernisation, safety upgrades such as the Kavach automatic train protection system—covering 772 route kilometres out of a sanctioned 2,922 kilometres—and electrification works. Odisha has now achieved 100 per cent electrification of its railway network.
#UnionBudget2026: #Odisha gets Rs 10,928 crore in rail budget
— Prameya English (@PrameyaEnglish) February 2, 2026
This massive investment covers track creation, station redevelopment, and safety enhancement across the entire State #Odisha #Railway #Budget pic.twitter.com/lcSrZi1Dyz
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 59 stations in the state have been selected for redevelopment at a cost of ₹2,439 crore. Redevelopment works have been completed at six stations—Cuttack (second entry), Baripada, Barpali, Bimlagarh, Parlakhemundi and Talcher.
Since 2014, around 2,200 kilometres of new railway tracks have been laid in Odisha, while 1,559 kilometres have been electrified. Supporting infrastructure such as 632 flyovers and underpasses has also been constructed, enhancing safety and connectivity.
Passenger services have expanded as well, with six pairs each of Vande Bharat Express and Amrit Bharat Express trains now operational, significantly improving mobility across key routes in the state.
