UNION BUDGET  2023 LIVE: Presenting the budget in Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the railways has been increased to the highest-ever Rs.2.40 lakh crore in the Union Budget for 2023-24.

Finance Minister said 100 key transport infrastructure projects for last- and first-mile connectivity for coal, fertiliser and food grain sectors have been recornised and will be taken up on top priority with an investment of Rs 75,000 crores, including Rs15,000 crore from private sources.

In the budget, the central government proposed to manufacture 35 hydrogen fuel-based trains, 4,500 newly designed automobile carrier coaches with side entry, 5,000 LHB coaches and 58,000 wagons.

The Railways are planned to renovate more than 1,000 coaches of high-end trains including the Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Humsafar, and Tejas in response to rising passenger expectations. These coaches' interiors will be upgraded with a contemporary appearance and for greater passenger comfort.

Old lines are set to be replaced with new ones thanks to the railways' plans to speed up trains and expand the Vande Bharat Express's destinations. The railways are proposing to produce 100 extra Vistadome coaches in an effort to draw tourists.

The Railways was allocated Rs1.4 lakh crore in the Union Budget for 2022-23, of which Rs 1.37 lakh crore was set apart for capital expenditure (CAPEX) and Rs. 3,267 lakh crore for revenue expenditure.

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