Lok Sabha Question No. 129 (STARRED), answered on 2017-12-27
Subject: New Railway Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 129

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.12.2017

## NEW RAILWAY TRACKS

- *129.  SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Railways  has  come  up  with  a  new  plan  to  lay  new railway tracks on the extreme ends of existing lines to outwit land encroachers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of land encroached along the rail tracks, zone-wise as on date;
- (d) whether  the  Railways  is  also  facing  the  problem  of  large  scale waste/garbage  and  open  defecation  along  the  railway  tracks  and  if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the manner in which the new plan will be effective in resolving the above issues and the time by which the new plan will be implemented?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COAL (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

*****

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 129 BY SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT AND DR.  SHRIKANT  EKNATH  SHINDE  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 27.12.2017 REGARDING NEW RAILWAY TRACKS

(a) & (b):   The alignment of a new railway line is finalized after detailed survey  of  the  site,  considering  the  stations  to  be  connected,  other obligatory points, geographical features and availability of land, habitation etc. in the area.  The alignment for laying a new railway track is finalized in consultation with the State Government. The extent of land to be acquired and  the  cost  of  land  is  also  given  due  consideration  while  deciding  the laying  of  new  line  adjacent  to  the  existing  railway  line.    In  case  of additional line i.e. doubling/3 rd /4 th  line adjacent to the existing line, efforts are  made  to  accommodate  the  additional  line  within  the  railway  land  to minimize the requirement of land acquisition.

(c): Most of the encroachments on Railway land are in the approaches of stations  in  Metros  and  big  cities  in  the  form  of  slums  around  railway tracks.

The  zone-wise  details  of  total  area  under  encroachment  as  on 31.03.2017 are as under:

(Figures in Hectares)

| Zonal Railway      |   Land under encroachment as on 31.03.2017 |
|--------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Central            |                                      59.21 |
| Eastern            |                                      20.57 |
| East Central       |                                       2.09 |
| East Coast         |                                      14.76 |
| Northern           |                                     205.54 |
| North Central      |                                      40.97 |
| North Eastern      |                                      25.63 |
| Northeast Frontier |                                     102.14 |
| North Western      |                                      18.86 |
| Southern           |                                      60.39 |

| South Central     |   17.13 |
|-------------------|---------|
| South Eastern     |  150.17 |
| Southeast Central |   46.03 |
| South Western     |   16.26 |
| Western           |   41.42 |
| West Central      |   34.8  |
| Production Units  |    5.74 |
| Total             |  861.7  |

(d) & (e): The problem of open defecation exists on tracks outside station area where human settlements are near to track, especially at approaches to  major  towns  and  cities.    To  overcome  this  problem,  rag  picking  from track in the block sections outside stations areas, at approaches of major town  and  cities  is  being  done  from  time  to  time.  Regular  events  on cleanliness are planned and organized to improve and maintain cleanliness at  Railway  premises  including  Railway  Stations  and  Tracks.  However, beyond  habited  areas,  there  is  no  general  open  defecation  problem/ unhygienic conditions on track.

Railway is also planning to construct physical barrier in the form of boundary  wall  to  avoid  trespass,  cattle  crossing  which  will  also  contain this problem.

*****