Central funding for India’s metro rail and mass rapid transit network in the Union Budget 2026 totals Rs 28,740 crore nationwide.Among the key beneficiaries is the Lucknow Metro Phase 1B project, which has been allotted Rs 1,450 crore. The estimated cost of this project was Rs 5,801 crore, and the latest budgetary support is expected to accelerate execution on the ground.Phase 1B comprises a single corridor stretching 11.165 km from Lucknow Railway Station at Charbagh to Vasant Kunj, with 12 stations along the route.Pune Metro has also secured fresh backing, with an allocation of Rs 517 crore for the ongoing project. However, a detailed break-up of the funds is still awaited.A clearer implementation roadmap will be drawn up once the Centre formally communicates the funding structure and timelines.The budget has also committed Rs 5,000 crore to the Pune Growth Hub over the next five years.The allocation is set to support integrated development across the Pune metropolitan region, covering Pune district, the civic bodies of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, cantonment areas, multiple municipalities, and key state agencies such as MSRDC and MIDC.In Kolkata, metro funding presents a mixed picture across different corridors. The Orange Line, connecting New Garia to the airport, has been allocated Rs 705.5 crore, slightly lower than last year’s Rs 720 crore.The Purple Line from Joka to Esplanade has seen a modest increase, with funding rising to Rs 906 crore from Rs 901 crore. The Green Line, or the East–West Metro, which is already operational over a 16.6 km stretch, has received Rs 529 crore, up from Rs 500 crore in the previous financial year.Funding for other projects, including the 18 km Noapara–Barasat corridor, also known as the Yellow Line or airport line, has been placed under alternative budget heads such as the Sovereign Green Fund.https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/union-budget-2026-pumps-rs-28740-crore-into-metro-rail-projects-in-fy27 (ICE MUMBAI)

Fonte notizia: Swarajya Magazine