Lok Sabha Question No. 494 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Repair of Bridges
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: HARISH DWIVEDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 494 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017

## REPAIR OF BRIDGES

- † 494.  SHRI HARISH CHANDRA ALIAS  HARISH  DWIVEDI:
- Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
- (a) the number of bridges in the Indian railway network;
- (b) whether many bridges of the railways are in bad condition and it is necessary to refurbish them immediately or construct new bridges in their place; and
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof,  division-wise  and  the  action  taken  in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  494  BY  SHRI  HARISH  CHANDRA  ALIAS  HARISH DWIVEDI  TO BE  ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 19.07.2017 REGARDING REPAIR OF BRIDGES

(a)  to  (c):  As  on  01.04.2017,  there  are  1,44,698  railway  bridges  of  varying  ages  on Indian Railways' network. There is a well-established system of inspection of railway bridges in Indian Railways.  All the bridges are inspected at least twice a year, one before  the  onset  of  monsoon  and  one  detailed  inspection  after  the  monsoon  by  the designated officials.  In addition, certain bridges are also inspected more frequently depending upon their condition. Repair / strengthening / rehabilitation / rebuilding of railway bridges is a continuous process and is undertaken whenever so warranted by their  physical  condition  as  ascertained  during  these  inspections.  If  the  corrective  / remedial measures are expected to take a long duration due to the complexity of the site  situation  etc.,  suitable  safety  measures  like  imposing  speed  restrictions  and keeping  such  bridge  under  close  watch  are  taken  till  the  bridge  is  repaired  / strengthened  /  rehabilitated  /  rebuilt.  All  bridges  are  safe  for  train  movement  at permitted speed. During 2016-17, 753 bridges were  repaired / strengthened / rehabilitated / rebuilt. As on 01.04.2017, 3017 bridges have been sanctioned for repair / strengthening / rehabilitation / rebuilding out of which 800 bridges are targeted during 2017-18.

During 2017-18, 221 bridges have been repaired / strengthened / rehabilitated / rebuilt till June 2017. The division-wise break-up is as under:

| Zonal Railway   | Divisions   | No. of bridges   |
|-----------------|-------------|------------------|
|                 | Mumbai      | 2                |
|                 | Bhusawal    | 4                |
| Central         | Nagpur      | 5                |
| Central         | Pune        | 13               |
| Central         | Solapur     | 12               |
| Eastern         | Asansol     | 3                |
|                 | Howrah      | 2                |
|                 | Malda       | 4                |
| East Central    | Dhanbad     | 7                |
|                 | Mughalsarai | 2                |
| East Coast      | Khurda Road | 7                |
|                 | Sambalpur   |                  |
|                 |             | 3                |
|                 | Waltair     | 8                |
| Northern        | Moradabad   | 6                |
| North           | Ambala Agra | 7 25             |
|                 |             | 3                |
| Central         | Allahabad   |                  |
|                 | Jhansi      | 2                |
| Northeast       | Alipurduar  | 7                |
| Frontier        | Katihar     | 2                |
|                 | Lumding     | 3                |

| Zonal Railway   | Divisions     |   No. of bridges |
|-----------------|---------------|------------------|
|                 | Ajmer         |                1 |
| North Western   | Jaipur        |                3 |
|                 | Jodhpur       |                4 |
| Southern        | Chennai       |                2 |
|                 | Palghat       |                2 |
|                 | Salem         |                6 |
| South Central   | Guntur        |                4 |
|                 | Nanded        |               14 |
|                 | Secunderabad  |                4 |
|                 | Chakradharpur |                5 |
| South Eastern   | Kharagpur     |               10 |
| South Eastern   | Ranchi        |                1 |
| South East      | Bilaspur      |                1 |
| Central         | Nagpur        |                2 |
|                 | Raipur        |                2 |
| South Western   | Hubli         |                1 |
|                 | Ahmedabad     |               11 |
| Western         | Ratlam        |                2 |
|                 | Vadodara      |                8 |
|                 | Bhopal        |                4 |
| West Central    | Jabalpur      |                6 |

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