Lok Sabha Question No. 812 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-07
Subject: Vacant Land
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK, RAMCHARAN BOHARA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 812 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2018

## VACANT LAND

†812.       DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK': SHRI RAM CHARAN BOHRA:

- Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the  area  of  railway  land  lying  unutilized  and  undeveloped  in various States of the country, State-wise; (b) the time since when this land is lying unutilized and whether any monitoring  mechanism  has  been  evolved  by  the  Railways  to  protect such land from encroachment and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether any scheme regarding giving this land on lease for some other purpose is under consideration of the Government and if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether any concrete step has been taken by the Railways for proper development and use of said land and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a) to (d):   A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  812  BY  DR.  RAMESH  POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK' AND SHRI RAM CHARAN BOHRA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 07.02.2018 REGARDING VACANT LAND

(a) to (d):  The vacant land available with the Railways is about 0.51 lakh hectare. This vacant land is mostly in the form of narrow strips along  tracks  and  required  for  servicing  and  maintenance  of  track, bridges and other infrastructure. The vacant land is also utilized for execution  of  various  infrastructural  projects  for  meeting  future growth needs of Railways which include projects like doubling/tripling and traffic facilities works, etc. Railways' operations also necessarily require development of ancillary logistic support/infrastructure such as bulk oil installations and oil depots, steel  yards,  concrete  sleeper  plants,  coal  dumps,  connectivity  to private sidings, connectivity  to ports and  other  infrastructure, commercial plots, vending stalls, etc. for which land is leased/licensed. The vacant land, which is not required by Railways for its immediate operational needs, is utilized in the interim period for commercial development through Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), wherever feasible, in order to mobilize additional financial  resources.  Presently,  54  sites  measuring  189  hectare (approx.) where commercial development seems feasible have been entrusted  to  RLDA.  The  details  of  total  railway  land  and  vacant railway  land  zone-wise  (State-wise  details  not  maintained)  as  on 31.03.2017 are as given below;

## (Figures in hectares)

| Zonal Railway   |   Total Land |   Vacant Land |
|-----------------|--------------|---------------|
| Central         |      29341.2 |       2293.77 |
| Eastern         |      20950.3 |       2172.8  |
| East Central    |      37238.3 |       4148.06 |
| East Coast      |      23059.3 |       3138.03 |

| Zonal Railway      |   Total Land |   Vacant Land |
|--------------------|--------------|---------------|
| Northern           |      43195   |      11612.4  |
| North Central      |      18836.5 |        740.02 |
| North Eastern      |      25703.8 |       5564.67 |
| Northeast Frontier |      45451.4 |       1406.82 |
| North Western      |      24515.1 |       1277.35 |
| Southern           |      26882.1 |       2725.7  |
| South Central      |      32440   |       1284.49 |
| South              |      42589.4 |        703.16 |
| South East Central |      22146.3 |       3159.48 |
| South Western      |      18470.1 |       4431.98 |
| Western            |      37876.8 |       5889.07 |
| West Central       |      23459.7 |        617.39 |
| Total              |     472155   |      51165.2  |

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