Lok Sabha Question No. 2657 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-03
Subject: Gauge Conversion
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI, DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2657 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.01.2018

## GAUGE CONVERSION

2657.     DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI:

SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Railways  has  received  representations  from  the various organizations/road users as well as from the Government of Gujarat for gauge conversion;
- (b)  if so, the steps taken by the Government thereon and the time by which the gauge conversion works are likely to be taken up;
- (c)  whether  the  work  of  gauge  conversion  of  Ankleshwar-Rajpipla railway  line  has  been  taken  up  and  if  so,  the  time  frame  for completion of the project;
- (d)    the  number of surveys proposed for gauge conversion of railway lines  in  Gujarat  during  the  last  five    years  i.e.  during  2011-12  to 2016-17; and
- (e)  the number of surveys of gauge conversion that have been started and completed and the number of construction of gauge conversion projects that have been started?

## 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.  2657  BY  DR.  KIRIT  P.  SOLANKI  AND SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 03.01.2018 REGARDING GAUGE CONVERSION

(a) & (b): Requests for doubling, both formal and informal, are received by Railways at various levels i.e. Railway Board, Zonal Railways and Divisional Headquarters, etc. As receipt of such requests/suggestions is a continuous and dynamic process, centralized compendium of such requests is not maintained.

(c):  Gauge  conversion  Ankleshwar-Rajpipla  section  (62.89  km)  has already been completed and commissioned.

(d) & (e):  Surveys for 11 gauge conversion projects falling fully/partly in the state of Gujarat have been completed during the last five years i.e. 2011-12 to 2016-17. All the surveys have been completed. Among these  completed  surveys  for  gauge  conversion  projects,  5  projects have  been  taken  up/included  in  the  Budget  subject  to  requisite approvals from the Government. The details are as under:

|   S. No. | Name of the Project                                                | Year of Complet- ion   | Status                                                                                                                                            |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Khijadiya-Amreli- Visayadar-Junagarh (134 km)                      | 2011-12                | Project included in the Budget 2017-18 subject to requisite approvals from the Government.                                                        |
|        2 | Himmatnagar- Khedbrahma with ext. upto Abu Road (144 km)           | 2011-12                | Gauge conversion of Himmatangar-Khedbrahma (54.83 km) has been included in the budget 2017-18 subject to requisite approvals from the Government. |
|        3 | Pratapgnagar- Vishwamitri- Jambusar-Samni & Jambusar-Kavi (103 km) | 2013-14                | Survey completed and report received.                                                                                                             |

|   4 | Bilmora-Wagai (GC) with extension to Manmad (NL) (254 km)                              | 2013-14   | Survey completed and report received.                                                                                    |
|-----|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   5 | Champaner Panimines (49 km) & Chhuchhapura - Tankhala (38 km) & its extn upto Rajpipla | 2014-15   | Survey completed and report received.                                                                                    |
|   6 | Ambliyasan-Viapur- Adraj Moti (81 km)                                                  | 2014-15   | Project included in the budget 2017-18 subject to requisite approvals from the Government.                               |
|   7 | GC of Ahmedabad- Mahesana for doubling (69 km)                                         | 2015-16   | Project included in the Budget 2015-16 and the work taken up.                                                            |
|   8 | Dabhoi-Chandod with extension to Rajpipla (Kevadiya Colony) (50 km)                    | 2016-17   | Work included in the Budget 2017-18 subject to requisite approvals from the Government.                                  |
|   9 | Kosamaba- Umarpara (72 km)                                                             | 2016-17   | Survey completed and the proposal shelved due to its un- remunerative nature and heavy throwforward of ongoing projects. |
|  10 | Chuchapura-Navsari- Tankhala (38 km)                                                   | 2016-17   | Survey completed and report received.                                                                                    |
|  11 | Veraval-Talala- Visavadar (Veraval- Dhana Jn. via Visavadar-Khijadia) (72 km)          | 2016-17   | Work included in the Budget 2017-18 subject to requisite approvals from the Government.                                  |

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