TN MP Thirumavalavan Flags Bias as Rail Funding Surges in NDA-Ruled States

A sharp political exchange has brought railway funding and Centre–State relations back into focus. Thol Thirumavalavan , VCK chief and MP from Chidambaram, accused the BJP-led Union government of deliberately disrupting Parliament and showing “step-motherly treatment” toward non-BJP ruled states, especially Tamil Nadu , in the allocation of funds. He alleged that the ruling side was stifling Opposition voices and not allowing the House to function smoothly.

The Centre responded with data. Ashwini Vaishnaw , Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & IT, said Tamil Nadu’s railway allocation has risen more than 8.5 times since 2014, reaching ₹7,611 crore in 2026–27 . He added that progress on ongoing projects in the state is being slowed by land issues: only 24% of the required land has been handed over so far 1,052 hectares out of 4,326 hectares even though ₹1,465 crore has already been paid to the state government for acquisition. According to the Minister, several critical projects are delayed because the remaining land is yet to be transferred.

Placed alongside other states, the latest allocations show wide variation. In 2026–27, Gujarat received ₹17,366 crore and Bihar received ₹10,379 crore , both higher than Tamil Nadu’s ₹7,611 crore. Historical comparisons often use pre-2014 annual baselines of roughly ₹589 crore for Gujarat , ₹1,100 crore for Bihar , and ₹879 crore for Tamil Nadu , indicating that all three states have seen large post-2014 increases, though Gujarat’s rise is the steepest in absolute terms.

Connectivity expansion mirrors these funding patterns. Since 2014, Gujarat has added about 2,764 km of new railway track, which is roughly one-third of its current network . Bihar has added around 1,899 km , about a quarter of its network , while Tamil Nadu has added approximately 1,350 km , close to one-fifth of its total track length . These differences reflect where capital-intensive works are concentrated.

The variation is less about geography and more about project type and economic role . Freight corridors and port connectivity prominent in Gujarat involve heavy, multi-track infrastructure and logistics facilities, which require larger capital outlays. Many works in Tamil Nadu are passenger capacity upgrades and regional connectivity projects, which are vital but generally less capital-intensive per kilometre. Another decisive factor is project readiness : railway spending typically accelerates where land acquisition, approvals and DPRs are completed quickly. The Centre’s claim that only a quarter of required land is available in Tamil Nadu illustrates how implementation can shape budget absorption.

In effect, rail investment tends to amplify existing freight flows rather than create them from scratch. While political leaders frame allocation gaps as discrimination, the funding pattern also reflects freight demand, corridor priorities and the speed at which projects can move from sanction to execution.