Lok Sabha Question No. 2881 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-02
Subject: Rail Connectivity to North Eastern States
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: PREM DAS RAI, MAULANA BADRUDDIN AJMAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2881 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2017

## RAIL CONNECTIVITY TO NORTH EASTERN STATES

2881. SHRI PREM DAS RAI: SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government plans to expedite the development of rail connectivity  to  the  North-Eastern  States  including  Sikkim  and Assam;
- (b) if  so,  the  current  status  of  the  rail  projects  in  the  North  Eastern States especially Sevok-Rangpo section and the reasons for delay, if any;
- (c) the details of funds estimated and spent so far on the execution of these projects; and
- (d) the steps taken to expedite the work of these projects?

## 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.  2881  BY  SHRI  PREM  DAS  RAI  AND  SHRI BADRUDDIN  AJMAL  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  02.08.2017 REGARDING RAIL CONNECTIVITY TO NORTH EASTERN STATES

(a) to (c):   Indian Railways have laid a great emphasis on improvement and  development  of  Railway  infrastructure  in  the  North  Eastern  States including  Sikkim  and  Assam. 22  major  projects  consisting  of  15  New Lines, 1 Gauge Conversion and 6 Doubling projects have been taken up in North Eastern States. Details of these projects are as under:

( ` in crore)

| S. No.    | Name of Project (with length)                                                     | Anticipa- ted Cost   | Expendi- ture upto March' 2017   | Outlay 2017- 18   | Present status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| New Lines | New Lines                                                                         | New Lines            | New Lines                        | New Lines         | New Lines                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 1         | Bogibeel bridge with linking lines between Dibrugharh and North Bank line (73 km) | 4996                 | 4102                             | 300               | All the 42 well foundations and piers of the main bridge have been completed. Works of both North and South guide bunds, works of rail link from Chaulkhowa to Moranhat along with connectivity on North and South banks have been completed. Presently work of Main Bridge superstructure is in progress. 35 girders out of 41 have already been launched. Deck Slab concreting has commenced from the North Bank. The work is progressing well. |
| 2         | New Moynaguri- Jogighopa New Line with Gauge Conversion of                        | 2531                 | 2182                             | 75                | New Coochbehar- Golakganj (59 km) commissioned. New Mal Junction-Changrabandha,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |

| S. No.   | Name of Project (with length)                                       | Anticipa- ted Cost   | Expendi- ture upto March' 2017   | Outlay 2017- 18   | Present status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|          | New Mal- Moynaguri Road and New Changrabanda- Changrabanda (289 km) |                      |                                  |                   | New Changrabandha-New Coochbehar (132 km) commissioned in 2015-16. Y-connection (Maynaguri Road-Jalpaiguri Road-New Domohini) (6.50 km) completed and train service started from 28.06.2016. Gauripur- Alampur (12 km): work is at advanced stage of completion. In balance section, earthwork, bridge work has been taken up.                                                                                  |
| 3        | Jiribam-Imphal (111 km)                                             | 6571                 | 5278                             | 1400              | Jiribam-Vangaichungpao (Phase-I) - 12.50 km section completed and commissioned by running commercial freight train on 21.03.2016. Earth work, bridges work and tunnel work have been taken up in Vangaichungpao -Tupul-                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| 4        | Dimapur-Kohima (88 km)                                              | 2973                 | 237                              | 350               | Take off for this new line revised from Dimapur (Nagaland) to Dhansiri (Assam) station at about 19 km away from Dimapur to avoid zoological park & forest land and also due to protest by local residents. Alignment is further proposed to be terminated at Zubza, 18 km short of Kohima due to high hill ranges. Thus net project is Dhansiri- Zubza (91.75 km). Geo- tech survey 66 km completed. 447.56 Ha. |

| S. No.   | Name of Project (with length)   | Anticipa- ted Cost   | Expendi- ture upto March' 2017   | Outlay 2017- 18   | Present status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|----------|---------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|          |                                 |                      |                                  |                   | land acquired out of total 955.15 Ha. Dhansiri-Medziphema (44 km): Final Location Survey (FLS) completed and Earthwork, minor bridges work taken up. Medziphema-Zubza (46 km): FLS taken up.                                                                                                                           |
| 5        | Agartala- Sabroom (110 km)      | 2720                 | 1692                             | 404               | (i) Agartala-Udaipur Phase-I (44 km): Commissioned. (ii) Udaipur-Sabroom Phase-II (68 km): 460.17 Ha. out of balance 502.8 Ha. land acquired. Earthwork, work of minor and major bridges, ROBs/RUBs, ballast supply taken up in the available land. Udaipur- Garjee (9.24 km) has also been commissioned in May, 2017. |
| 6        | Teteliya- Byrnihat (22 km)      | 496                  | 372                              | 150               | Earthwork, bridge work & tunnel work have been taken up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| 7        | Bhairabi-Sairang (51 km)        | 2820                 | 1127                             | 600               | All the land acquired. Earthwork, bridges & tunnel works have been taken up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 8        | Sivok-Rangpo (44 km)            | 4190                 | 536                              | 250               | Land for 10 km out of 44.98 km has been handed over by State Government. Detailed topography survey completed and contracts for construction of 2 tunnels have been awarded. Project                                                                                                                                   |

| S. No.   | Name of Project (with length)   | Anticipa- ted Cost   | Expendi- ture upto March' 2017   | Outlay 2017- 18   | Present status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|----------|---------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|          |                                 |                      |                                  |                   | delayed due to non- handing over of 34 km forest land in West Bengal.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| 9        | Byrnihat- Shillong (108 km)     | 5308                 | 23                               | 200               | FLS has been done upto 103 km. Joint survey done for first 17.14 km length (between Byrnihat-Lailad) and land cost ` 209.38 crores deposited for 182.386 Ha. but land acquisition process held up due to requirement of NOC from Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC). FLS of balance 5 km (km 103- 108) near Shillong city is pending due to protests by Khasi Students Union (KSU). |
| 10       | Murkongselek- Pasighat (31 km)  | 436                  | 141                              | 172               | FLS has been completed. Land acquisition has been taken up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 11       | Agartala- Akhaura (13 km)       | 887                  | 210                              | 350               | IRCON has prepared Revised Abstract Estimate (India portion) at the total cost of ` 580.00 crore with elevated corridor/viaduct of 3.31 km. DPR for Bangladesh portion has been submitted by IRCON to MEA for approval of Government of Bangladesh.                                                                                                                                              |
| 12       | Dimapur-Tizit (257 km)          | 4488                 | -                                | 1                 | The work has been included in Budget 2013- 14 subject to requisite approvals.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 13       | Salona-Khumtai                  | 5958                 | -                                | 1                 | The work has been                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |

| S. No.           | Name of Project (with length)                                                                                                                               | Anticipa- ted Cost   | Expendi- ture upto March' 2017   | Outlay 2017- 18   | Present status                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                  | (99 km)                                                                                                                                                     |                      |                                  |                   | included in Budget 2017- 18 subject to requisite approvals.                                                                                                                                                           |
| 14               | Sibsagar Town - Jorhat Town (62 km)                                                                                                                         | 1296                 | -                                | 1                 | The work has been included in Budget 2017- 18 subject to requisite approvals.                                                                                                                                         |
| 15               | Tezpur-Silghat Town (25 km)                                                                                                                                 | 2025                 | -                                | 1                 | The work has been included in Budget 2017- 18 subject to requisite approvals.                                                                                                                                         |
| Gauge Conversion | Gauge Conversion                                                                                                                                            | Gauge Conversion     | Gauge Conversion                 | Gauge Conversion  | Gauge Conversion                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 1                | New Jalpaiguri- Siliguri-New Bongaigaon alongwith Branch Lines & new MM for Chalsa- Naxalbari (16 km) New Line & Rajabhatkhowa- Jayanti (15.13 km) New Line | 1566                 | 1072                             | 10                | Main Gauge Conversion Project has been commissioned. Chalsa- Naxalbari (16 km) (new line) land acquisition has been taken up. In Rajbhatkhowa-Jainti (15 km) (new line) section, forestry clearance has been refused. |
| Doubling         | Doubling                                                                                                                                                    | Doubling             | Doubling                         | Doubling          | Doubling                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 1                | Bongaigaon - Kamakhya via Goalpara (176 km)                                                                                                                 | 2232                 | 40                               | 250               | Contracts for earthwork, major & minor bridges awarded.                                                                                                                                                               |
| 2                | Digaru-Hojai (102 km)                                                                                                                                       | 871                  | 30                               | 150               | Works of earthwork, major & minor bridges have been taken up.                                                                                                                                                         |
| 3                | Kamakhya-New Guwahati Quadrupling (10.3 km)                                                                                                                 | 3062                 | -                                | 1                 | The work has been included in Budget 2017- 18 subject to requisite approvals. FLS has been sanctioned.                                                                                                                |
| 4                | Lumding-Hojai pacth doubling (45 km)                                                                                                                        | 364                  | 60                               | 100               | Earthwork and bridge works have been taken up.                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 5                | New                                                                                                                                                         | 1888                 | -                                | 10                | The work has been                                                                                                                                                                                                     |

| S. No.   | Name of Project (with length)             | Anticipa- ted Cost   | Expendi- ture upto March' 2017   | Outlay 2017- 18   | Present status                                                                                         |
|----------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|          | Bongaigaon- Kamakhya via Rangiya (142 km) |                      |                                  |                   | included in Budget 2013- 14 subject to requisite approvals. FLS has been sanctioned.                   |
| 6        | Saraighat Bridge doubling (7 km)          | 888                  | -                                | 1                 | The work has been included in Budget 2017- 18 subject to requisite approvals. FLS has been sanctioned. |

Railways have huge throwforward of ongoing projects with limited availability  of  resources.    As  a  result,  funds  are  thinly  spread  thus prolonging  period  of  completion.    Completion  of  projects  also  depends upon their relative priority. Projects also get delayed due to delay in land acquisition and forestry clearance, adverse law and order conditions.

(d):      To  expedite  completion  of  projects,  Railways  have  arranged additional  funds  by  way  of  Institutional  Finance  from  Life  Insurance Corporation for funding projects, regular coordination meetings are being held  with  Ministries  /  Department  /  State  Government  Authorities  to expedite clearances.  Other measures taken to expedite completion are prioritization of projects, delegation of powers at field level, inviting the State Governments to participate with Railways for resource mobilization for projects, nomination of nodal officers for improved co-ordination with the State Governments etc.

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