Lok Sabha Question No. 666 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Gauge Conversion
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, SATYA PAL SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 666

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017

## GAUGE CONVERSION

666.  SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE: DR. SATYAPAL SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the gauge conversion from meter/narrow gauge to broad gauge could not be completed for years even after allocating funds by the Government;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the number of such delayed projects across the country as on date, zonewise;
- (c) whether the Union Government has held discussions with the respective State Government for timely execution of the said projects during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  and  outcome  thereof,  zone-wise  and  if  not,  the reasons therefor along with the steps taken/being taken by the Union Government to address the concern of the respective State Government in such delayed projects; and
- (e) the other corrective steps taken/ being taken by the Government for expeditious completion of such projects?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 666 BY SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE AND DR. SATYAPAL SINGH TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  19.07.2017  REGARDING  GAUGE CONVERSION

- (a)  &  (b):    As  on  01.04.2017,  there  are  58  ongoing  Gauge  Conversion projects covering a length of 8,745 Km taken up at a cost of ` 49,231 Crore. Railway Projects had been suffering from paucity of funds which has been increased  during  last  three  years  through  various  measures  such  as  cost sharing  with  State  Governments  and  increased  Extra  Budgetary  Support etc. Zone-wise details of ongoing projects are given as under:-

| Railway            | No. of projects   | Length (in Km)   | Cost          | Expenditure till 31.03.2017   | Outlay 2017-18   |
|--------------------|-------------------|------------------|---------------|-------------------------------|------------------|
|                    |                   |                  | (in ` Crores) | (in ` Crores)                 | (in ` Crores)    |
| East Central       | 4                 | 740              | 3398          | 1942                          | 244              |
| Eastern            | 1                 | 161              | 2002          | 548                           | 86               |
| North Central      | 3                 | 440              | 6473          | 50                            | 86               |
| North Eastern      | 7                 | 792              | 4413          | 1240                          | 274              |
| Northeast Frontier | 2                 | 710              | 2992          | 1999                          | 60               |
| North Western      | 3                 | 865              | 3377          | 1063                          | 316              |
| South East Central | 4                 | 723              | 3862          | 2586                          | 517              |
| South Eastern      | 2                 | 445              | 3163          | 674                           | 1.1              |
| South Western      | 1                 | 148              | 608           | 202                           | 0.5              |
| Southern           | 4                 | 983              | 3936          | 2461                          | 392              |
| Western            | 27                | 2738             | 15007         | 2666                          | 1268             |
|                    | 58                | 8745             | 49231         | 15431                         | 3244.6           |

Note:

- (i)  5  Zonal  Railways  i.e.  East  Coast,  Northeast  Frontier,  South  Eastern, South  Western,  West  Central  are  having  no  Meter  Gauge/Narrow  Gauge operation.
- (ii)    Although  main  projects  of  Gauge  Conversion  have  been  completed  in Northeast Frontier, South Eastern & South Western but material modification sanctioned are still balance.

(c):  To  strengthen  the  coordination  mechanism,  Railways  have  nominated nodal officers from each Zonal Railway for a particular State with a defined role  of  identifying  projects  and  related  issues  which  require  coordination with  State  Government.  At  Railway  Board  level  also,  nodal  officers  have been  nominated  for  each  State/UT  to  keep  the  updated  status  of  railway related  demands and issues.  Periodic meetings are held with officials  of State  Government  to  resolve  the  issues  involved  in  execution  of  the projects.

- (d):    Through  the  coordination  meetings  between  representatives  of  the States and Railway officials, various issues have been successfully addressed  and  Railway  has  been  able  to  expedite  the  land  acquisition, forestry  and  wild  life  clearance,  NOC  from  NHAI,  shifting  of  electrical  HT alignments, obtaining security in naxalite infected areas, resolving funding issues through release of funds in cost sharing projects and signing of MoUs for formation on Joint Venture Company etc.

(e):  The other corrective steps taken are as detailed below:-

- (i)      Making higher fund allotment for projects. The capital expenditure for railways has been increased from ` 58,718 Cr in 2014-15 to around ` 93,795 Cr in 2015-16. ` 1,21,000 crore has been provided in Budget 2016-17 and a plan size of ` 1,31,000 crore has been kept for 2017-18.
- (ii)        Delegation of  powers to the field officers for tenders and estimates: The Zonal Railways have now been delegated full powers with respect to works contracts. Full powers have been given to General Managers of Zonal Railways with respect to sanctioning of estimates. This has also resulted in cutting down time for estimate sanctions and tenders.
- (iii)        Institutional  financing  by  tying  up  loan  with  M/s  Life  Insurance Corporation of India Limited for ` 1.5 lac crore for assured funding of viable projects has increased Railway's capacity for committed fund provision for essential projects.

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