Vaishnaw at Vizag: ₹1.06 lakh crore rail push, bullet trains for South India
Synopsis
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw used a Visakhapatnam AI hub event to unveil a sweeping southern rail agenda — ₹1.06 lakh crore in AP projects, a tenfold budget jump, 500 new trains on a quadrupled east coast corridor, and a long-pending South Coast Railway Zone finally getting notified on 1 June. The political timing, amid opposition claims of southern neglect, was anything but coincidental.
Key Takeaways
Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the Google Cloud India AI Hub foundation ceremony in Visakhapatnam on 28 April , alongside AP CM N.
Andhra Pradesh railway budget has grown from ₹886 crore (combined with Telangana, 10 years ago) to ₹10,134 crore today.
The state has ₹1.06 lakh crore worth of railway projects; 1,759 km of new track laid and 3,300 km under construction.
Bullet train corridors announced for Amaravati–Hyderabad (70 min), Chennai–Bengaluru (73 min), Amaravati–Chennai (112 min), and Hyderabad–Pune (1 hr 55 min).
The South Coast Railway Zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam will be notified on 1 June , fulfilling a 2014 bifurcation promise.
The Kolkata–Chennai east coast corridor will be upgraded to four lines , enabling 500 new trains .
Union Electronics & Information Technology and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday, 28 April asserted that the NDA government is firmly committed to the development of south India, unveiling a sweeping rail expansion plan at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam. The event was attended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Vaishnaw accused the opposition of attempting to build what he called a "fake narrative" of injustice to southern states, arguing that the Centre's actual delivery across sectors had repeatedly dismantled that claim.
Bullet Train Network Across Southern States
Referring to bullet trains announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, Vaishnaw said the planned high-speed diamond corridor across southern states was proof of the government's political commitment to regional development. He outlined specific travel-time projections under the bullet train network:
The Amaravati–Hyderabad bullet train will reduce travel time to just 70 minutes, while the Amaravati–Chennai corridor will cover the distance in 112 minutes. The Hyderabad–Pune route will take 1 hour 55 minutes, and the Chennai–Bengaluru corridor will clock in at 73 minutes. Travel between Hyderabad and Bengaluru will take 2 hours 8 minutes.
Andhra Pradesh Railway Investments: A Tenfold Jump
Vaishnaw highlighted a dramatic increase in railway budget allocations for the state. A decade ago, the combined budget for the then-undivided Andhra Pradesh and Telangana was ₹886 crore. Today, Andhra Pradesh alone receives ₹10,134 crore — a more than tenfold increase.
The state currently has ₹1.06 lakh crore worth of railway projects under various stages of planning and execution, a figure Vaishnaw described as "unthinkable in the past." A total of 74 railway stations are being reconstructed, while 832 flyovers and underpasses have already been built and another 299 are under construction.
On the tracks front, 1,759 km of new track has already been laid in Andhra Pradesh — more than the entire rail network of several countries — with another 3,300 km currently under construction. The state has also achieved 100% electrification. Andhra Pradesh now operates 16 Vande Bharat services and 22 Amrit Bharat services.
East Coast Quadrupling and New Railway Zone
Vaishnaw announced that the entire east coast rail corridor from Kolkata to Chennai, wherever double lines currently exist, will be upgraded to four lines. "This will change the entire coastline. We will be able to run 500 new trains, many new cargo trains and many new container trains," he said, adding that the move will significantly improve connectivity to ports, tourism spots, and cultural destinations.
In a long-awaited announcement, Vaishnaw confirmed that the South Coast Railway Zone will be officially notified on 1 June. The new zone, with Visakhapatnam as its headquarters, fulfils a commitment made at the time of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 by the then Congress-led UPA government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the zonal headquarters in January 2025.
The Political Subtext
Vaishnaw's address carried an unmistakable political undercurrent. Framing the Centre's investments as evidence against what he called opposition-manufactured grievances, he said: "Sector after sector, so much investment is coming to the southern states. Nobody can say that the south Indian states are not being given the right justice."
He invoked the government's 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' principle, asserting that the commitment was visible across railways, highways, power, ports, and shipping. This comes amid sustained opposition criticism — particularly from southern-state parties — over alleged fiscal imbalances in Centre-state fund transfers.
With the South Coast Railway Zone notification due in weeks and bullet train corridors on the drawing board, the Centre appears to be accelerating its infrastructure signalling ahead of a politically sensitive period in Andhra Pradesh.
Point of View
But the bullet train timelines are aspirational at this stage, with no confirmed construction start dates. More consequentially, the South Coast Railway Zone notification — delayed over a decade since the 2014 bifurcation promise — arrives at a moment when the BJP needs Andhra Pradesh's goodwill. Whether the zone translates into operational autonomy and jobs, or remains a symbolic headquarters, will be the actual test of commitment.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the South Coast Railway Zone and when will it be notified?
The South Coast Railway Zone is a new railway administrative zone with its headquarters in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It will be officially notified on 1 June, fulfilling a promise made to the state at the time of its bifurcation in 2014.
What bullet train routes have been announced for South India?
Five bullet train corridors have been announced under the Union Budget 2026-27 for southern states: Amaravati–Hyderabad (70 minutes), Amaravati–Chennai (112 minutes), Hyderabad–Pune (1 hour 55 minutes), Chennai–Bengaluru (73 minutes), and Hyderabad–Bengaluru (2 hours 8 minutes).
How much has the railway budget for Andhra Pradesh increased?
The railway budget for Andhra Pradesh has grown more than tenfold — from ₹886 crore for the combined Andhra Pradesh and Telangana a decade ago to ₹10,134 crore for Andhra Pradesh alone today. The state now has ₹1.06 lakh crore worth of railway projects.
What did Vaishnaw say about the east coast rail corridor?
Vaishnaw announced that the entire Kolkata-to-Chennai east coast corridor, wherever double lines exist, will be upgraded to four lines. This is expected to enable 500 new trains, including cargo and container services, and improve connectivity to ports and tourism destinations.
Why is the Centre emphasising south India development?
The Centre has faced sustained opposition criticism over alleged fiscal imbalances in fund transfers to southern states. Vaishnaw directly addressed this, calling it a 'fake narrative' and citing infrastructure investments across railways, highways, power, and ports as evidence of equitable development under PM Modi's NDA government.
