Pune Set to Transform with High-Speed Rail Links to Mumbai and Hyderabad
New Delhi/Pune, 1st February 2026: Pune is set to emerge as a key node in India’s proposed expansion of high-speed rail infrastructure, with two new corridors, Mumbai–Pune and Pune–Hyderabad, announced in the Union Budget 2026. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the plan while presenting the Budget in Parliament on Sunday.
Presenting the government’s infrastructure roadmap, Sitharaman said the Centre proposes to develop seven environmentally sustainable high-speed rail corridors aimed at faster passenger travel and improved connectivity between major economic and cultural centres.
“The government proposes to develop environmentally sustainable passenger transport systems through seven high-speed rail corridors,” Sitharaman said in her Budget speech.
Among the seven routes announced, Pune features prominently alongside Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai. The Mumbai–Pune corridor is expected to link the financial capital with one of Maharashtra’s major industrial and educational hubs, while the Pune–Hyderabad corridor aims to connect Pune with Telangana’s capital, a growing technology and commercial centre.
The other proposed high-speed rail routes include Hyderabad–Bengaluru, Delhi–Varanasi, Varanasi–Siliguri, Hyderabad–Chennai, and Chennai–Bengaluru.
According to the Budget statement, the corridors are intended to link major metropolitan cities with fast-growing urban and industrial hubs, with a focus on reducing travel time and easing pressure on road and conventional rail networks.
The high-speed rail announcement was made alongside a significant increase in public capital expenditure. Sitharaman proposed ₹12.2 lakh crore as public capital expenditure for FY27, up from ₹11.2 lakh crore in the Budget Estimates for FY26.
She noted that public capital spending has increased substantially over the years, rising from ₹2 lakh crore in 2014–15, underlining the government’s emphasis on infrastructure development.
“To sustain infrastructure momentum, public capital expenditure of ₹12.2 lakh crore is proposed for FY27,” the Finance Minister said.
These high-speed rail projects are expected to revolutionize travel and connectivity in the region, boosting economic growth and improving the quality of life for millions of residents. The Mumbai–Pune and Pune–Hyderabad corridors are just the beginning of a larger vision to create a modern, efficient, and sustainable transportation network across India.
