UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Record CapEx of ₹2.93 Lakh Crore for Indian Railways; High Speed Connectivity, Strengthening Freight & Safety Prime Focus of Spend

Q1. In the context of the Union Budget 2026-27's record ₹2,93,030 crore allocation to Indian Railways, the term 'capital expenditure (CapEx)' most precisely refers to:

  • A. Spending on the creation or acquisition of long-term assets such as new lines, rolling stock, electrification and infrastructure
  • B. Recurring day-to-day expenditure on staff salaries, pensions and fuel
  • C. Gross revenue earned by the Railways from freight and passenger operations
  • D. Grants transferred by the Centre to state governments for railway land acquisition

Q2. With reference to the capital-expenditure figures for Indian Railways, consider the following: 1. FY 2021-22: ₹2,15,058 crore 2. FY 2024-25: ₹2,62,200 crore 3. FY 2026-27: ₹2,93,030 crore 4. FY 2026-27 outlay earmarked exclusively for Railways: ₹12.2 lakh crore Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. FY 2021-22: ₹2,15,058 crore
  2. FY 2024-25: ₹2,62,200 crore
  3. FY 2026-27: ₹2,93,030 crore
  4. FY 2026-27 outlay earmarked exclusively for Railways: ₹12.2 lakh crore
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. The seven new High-Speed Rail corridors announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 are to be implemented by which one of the following?

  • A. National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL)
  • B. Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL)
  • C. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL)
  • D. Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC)

Q4. Consider the following statements comparing the seven newly announced High-Speed Rail corridors with the Mumbai–Ahmedabad HSR project: 1. Unlike the single under-construction Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor, the seven newly announced corridors together span nearly 4,000 km. 2. The seven new corridors are projected to attract investment of around ₹16 lakh crore. 3. Whereas the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor uses Japanese Shinkansen technology, each of the seven new corridors has been allotted to a different foreign technology partner. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Unlike the single under-construction Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor, the seven newly announced corridors together span nearly 4,000 km.
  2. The seven new corridors are projected to attract investment of around ₹16 lakh crore.
  3. Whereas the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor uses Japanese Shinkansen technology, each of the seven new corridors has been allotted to a different foreign technology partner.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. How many stations are planned on the 508 km Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor?

  • A. 8
  • B. 10
  • C. 12
  • D. 15

Q6. Which one of the following Dedicated Freight Corridors is the longest, at 2,052 km?

  • A. Eastern DFC (Ludhiana–Dankuni)
  • B. Western DFC (Dadri–JNPT)
  • C. East-West DFC (Dankuni–Surat)
  • D. North-South DFC (Itarsi–Vijayawada)

Q7. The Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors together have a total sanctioned route length of approximately how many kilometres?

  • A. 1,506 km
  • B. 1,875 km
  • C. 2,843 km
  • D. 4,000 km

Q8. The recommendation to merge the Railway Budget with the General Budget from 2017-18 was made by a committee associated with which one of the following bodies?

  • A. NITI Aayog
  • B. Fifteenth Finance Commission
  • C. Comptroller and Auditor General of India
  • D. Railway Board

Q9. With reference to the merger of the Railway Budget with the Union Budget, consider the following statements: 1. The separate Railway Budget was introduced in 1924 on the recommendation of the Acworth Committee. 2. The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget from the financial year 2017-18. 3. The separate Railway Budget practice had continued for about 92 years before the merger. 4. After the merger, the Railways stands fully exempted from every financial obligation to the general exchequer. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The separate Railway Budget was introduced in 1924 on the recommendation of the Acworth Committee.
  2. The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget from the financial year 2017-18.
  3. The separate Railway Budget practice had continued for about 92 years before the merger.
  4. After the merger, the Railways stands fully exempted from every financial obligation to the general exchequer.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 4 only

Q10. In the context of the Railways' enhanced safety spending, 'Kavach' is best described as:

  • A. An indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system that automatically applies brakes to prevent collisions
  • B. A dedicated corpus fund created to finance assessed railway safety works
  • C. A programme confined to replacing ageing rails through track renewal
  • D. An anti-theft surveillance network installed on freight wagons

Q11. Which one of the following Public Sector Undertakings is the dedicated financing arm of the Ministry of Railways, raising funds from the market through bonds for railway projects?

  • A. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)
  • B. Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC)
  • C. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL)
  • D. Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL)