As India looks to lower logistics costs and strengthen manufacturing competitiveness, expectations from Railway allocations in Union Budget 2026 are shifting from headline capital outlays to measurable improvements in freight movement, industry stakeholders said.
Nikhil Agarwal, President, CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd, said Budget 2026 must ensure that railway spending delivers tangible outcomes in terms of speed, reliability and efficiency of freight services.
"As India pushes toward lower logistics costs and stronger manufacturing competitiveness, Budget 2026 must ensure that railway allocations translate into measurable improvements in freight movement not just higher capital outlay," Agarwal said.
The first priority should be faster execution and better utilisation of Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), he added.
According to him, while core corridors are progressing, congestion at terminals and poor last-mile rail connectivity continue to slow freight evacuation.
"Budget support should focus on feeder routes, terminal upgrades, and smoother integration with industrial clusters. Terminal efficiency remains a critical bottleneck. Investments in mechanised handling, longer sidings, private freight terminals, and digital yard operations can significantly reduce dwell time and improve wagon productivity," Agarwal said.
Service reliability is equally important, according to Agarwal. "For rail to attract time-sensitive cargo, freight customers need predictable transit timelines. Budget-linked incentives for scheduled freight services, guaranteed delivery windows, and performance-based accountability can help railways shift from a volume-driven to a service-oriented model," he added.
"Technology-led transparency must be strengthened through real-time train tracking, predictive ETAs, and integrated digital platforms for bookings and documentation, improving both customer confidence and network planning," he said.
"Finally, multimodal integration and sustainability should be core outcomes. Targeted investments in rail-linked logistics parks, port connectivity, and incentives for modal shift from road to rail can reduce congestion, emissions, and overall logistics costs," Agarwal added.
Budget 2026 should ensure railway spending delivers outcomes businesses can rely on faster movement, predictable timelines, and a more efficient freight ecosystem, he added.
Industry experts say that while progress on Dedicated Freight Corridors has improved capacity on core routes, bottlenecks at terminals and weak last-mile connectivity continue to limit the benefits. Budgetary focus, they argue, should shift towards feeder routes, terminal modernisation and better integration of rail infrastructure with industrial clusters.
Improving terminal efficiency through mechanised cargo handling, longer sidings, private freight terminals and digitised yard operations could significantly cut turnaround time and raise wagon productivity, according to logistics players.
For railways to attract time-sensitive and high-value cargo, service predictability has become critical. Industry stakeholders are calling for incentives linked to scheduled freight services, assured delivery timelines and performance-based accountability to help railways transition from a volume-led to a service-driven freight model.
Greater use of technology, such as real-time train tracking, predictive estimated time of arrival (ETA) systems and integrated digital platforms for bookings and documentation, is also seen as essential to improving transparency, customer confidence and network planning.
These expectations align with broader fiscal priorities outlined in the latest EY Economy Watch report, which said Budget 2026 should look at increasing the share of capital expenditure in total government spending, with a sharper focus on advanced infrastructure and technology-led sectors.
While EY noted that the scope for additional tax reforms in personal income tax and GST may be limited, it expects the fiscal deficit target of 4.4 per cent of GDP in FY26 to be achieved despite revenue shortfalls. The report recommended continuing fiscal consolidation, targeting a fiscal deficit of 4 per cent of GDP in FY27, to create room for private investment.
The report added that while expansion of physical infrastructure may face constraints, there remains significant scope for higher capital spending in defence and advanced technology segments, where upfront costs are large. It also highlighted the need for public infrastructure support to enable private sector participation in emerging technology areas.
For the railways, experts say this approach reinforces the need to prioritise multimodal logistics parks, port connectivity and incentives that encourage a shift of freight from road to rail. Such measures can help reduce congestion, emissions and overall logistics costs, while improving the reliability of supply chains.
As Budget 2026 approaches, industry voices are clear that railway allocations must move beyond headline spending figures and deliver freight systems businesses can depend on, faster movement, predictable timelines and a more efficient logistics ecosystem.
