TN rail projects not stalled due to lack of funds: Vaishnaw

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has rejected claims by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin that delays in rail infrastructure projects in the State are caused by the central government failing to release funds on time. Vaishnaw said such assertions are “baseless” and clarified that the real reason many projects are held up is pending land acquisition by the State government.

In a response to Stalin’s criticism, Vaishnaw highlighted that the budget allocation for railway projects in Tamil Nadu has increased sharply, reaching about ₹7,611 crore for 2026–27, more than eight times the allocation in earlier years. He also pointed out that numerous sanctioned initiatives, including line expansions, doubling works and station redevelopment under schemes such as Amrit Bharat, are progressing.

According to the Railway Minister, delays are not due to lack of funds from the Union government but rather because land needed for the projects has not been transferred or acquired quickly enough from the State side. Vaishnaw emphasized that development depends on cooperation between the Centre and the State, and urged Tamil Nadu to expedite land acquisition to accelerate project execution.

Vaishnaw also noted that significant portions of land for various works, including electrification and new tracks, have already been completed. The government has paid hundreds of crores to the State for land acquisition, he added, but progress remains uneven across different projects.

Chief Minister Stalin, meanwhile, has maintained that most of the required land for key ongoing projects has been acquired — about 94% for 19 major rail works — and has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene to ensure timely release of outstanding funds and to restart projects that have stalled. Stalin argues that piecemeal funding and delays in compensation payments are slowing progress and creating uncertainty for landowners.

The dispute reflects a broader debate over infrastructure delivery in the Southern state, especially with Assembly elections approaching, and underscores ongoing challenges in implementing large-scale rail projects where coordination between the Centre and State is critical.