₹1.73 trn in rail projects sanctioned for Maharashtra: Ashwini Vaishnaw

The Union Cabinet has sanctioned ₹1.73 trillion worth of railway projects connected with Maharashtra until now, Railway Minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw said during a press conference in Mumbai on Friday.

"Till now overall, ₹1.73 trillion worth of projects connected with Maharashtra, including the bullet train and corridors, and the redevelopment of stations has been approved. ₹1,73,804 crore worth of projects are connected with Maharashtra," Union Minister Vaishnaw said in a joint conference with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Talking about the 2025-26 union budget, he informed everyone that more than ₹23,000 crore had been allocated for the state of Maharashtra.

"For the sanction of such big projects, there is a need for funding every year; that is why you must have noticed how in the (Union) budget till now, there has been an allocation of ₹23,778 crore," he added.

Criticising the previous UPA-led government, he said that they had only given a little more than ₹1,000 crore for Maharashtra, which has now been increased by 20 times by the Union cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"When the INDI alliance, called the UPA then was there, then only ₹1,171 crore was allocated to Maharashtra, but now (PM) Modi has given atleast 20 times more than that, which will transform the rail network of Maharashtra," he said.

Vaishnaw also highlighted the various corridor projects and the redevelopment of stations, including the Ballarshah-Gondia, Jalna-Jalgaon, and others.

"PM Modi, in the recent cabinet meet, has sanctioned the Ballarshah-Gondia's doubling project of 240 kilometres, which has been given ₹4,819 crore," he said.

"With the doubling of Ballarshah and Gondia, we will get a corridor for north to south's movement. With this, the aspirational district, like Vidharba and Marathawada, will be impacted as they will be connected," he added.

Lauding the historic term of PM Modi, he highlighted how since 2024, thousands of crores of rupees have been sanctioned to connect various areas in the state, and foster development.

"In the historic third term of PM Modi, multiple projects for Railways have been sanctioned one by one. Like the one connecting the Ajanta caves, Jalna-Jalgaon was sanctioned with a project cost of ₹7,106 crore. Then Manmad-Indore, which has a significant portion in Maharashtra, was sanctioned ₹18,000 crore with cabinet approval. The fourth line of Manmad-Jalgaon was sanctioned with ₹2,700 crore. Vasaval-Khandwa was also sanctioned."

The Union cabinet met on April 9, where they approved various development projects for railways and the approval of modernising the Command Area Development and Water Management as a sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana.