Budget 2026 sees big West Bengal announcement as state heads for an intense poll battle

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed new freight corridors linking Dankuni in West Bengal to Surat in the west, along with a high-speed rail corridor, to boost development and infrastructure in the state ahead of assembly elections this year.

Ahead of the legislative assembly election in West Bengal later this year, FM Sitharaman made big announcements and said that the government will establish new dedicated freight corridors connecting West Bengal's Dangkuni in the east to Surat in the west.

"Establish new dedicated freight corridors connecting West Bengal's Dangkuni in the east to Surat in the west. Operationalise 20 new national waterways over the next five years to promote environmentally sustainable cargo movement," FM said.


This move aims to shift a greater share of freight to inland water transport, which is considered more energy-efficient and cost-effective than road and rail.

Sitharaman said to promote environmentally-sustainable movement of cargo, she proposed to establish a new dedicated freight corridor connecting Dankuni in the east to Surat in the west.At present, work on one high-speed corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is in progress. Similarly, two dedicated freight corridors -- Eastern and Western -- are in operation covering several states and districts.

The announcement comes amid continued focus on regional development, with the Centre seeking to address infrastructure gaps and improve connectivity in eastern India.

Eastern India, including West Bengal, has remained a focus area for infrastructure-led development in recent Union Budgets.

In Budget 2025, the Centre announced allocations for railways, highways, ports and urban infrastructure projects in the state, alongside social sector spending routed through centrally sponsored schemes.

Railway investments have been a key component, with steady growth in annual allocations for track upgrades, station redevelopment and connectivity projects in the eastern region.

Budget 2026 was being watched for fresh announcements on infrastructure, logistics and social sector spending aimed at boosting regional growth and employment.