Lok Sabha Question No. 3447 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-22
Subject: New Lines/Gauge Conversion
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAMA DEVI, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB, N.K. PREMACHANDRAN, DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH, Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh, HARIOM SINGH RATHORE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3447 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2017

## NEW LINES/GAUGE CONVERSION

## †

## 3447.  SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH:

SHRIMATI PRATYUSHA RAJESHWARI SINGH:

SHRI HARIOM SINGH RATHORE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the new railway lines commissioned across the country during  each  of  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year,  zone-wise along with the Rate of Return of such lines during the said period;
- (b) the details of the narrow gauge lines converted into broad gauge lines across the country during the said period, zone-wise;
- (c) the  number  of  proposals  of  converting  narrow  gauge  lines  into  broad gauge  lines  that  are  pending  with  the  Government  as  on  date,  zonewise  along  with  the  time  by  which  such  proposals  are  likely  to  be cleared by the Government;
- (d) whether  the  underutilisation  of  funds  have  been  reported  by  the Ministry of Railways in commissioning of new railway lines or conversion of narrow gauge lines into broad gauge lines during the said period; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the reaction  of  the  Government  thereto  and  the  other  steps  taken/being taken by the Government in this direction?

## 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.  3447  BY  SHRIMATI  RAMA  DEVI,  SHRI  BHARTRUHARI  MAHTAB,  SHRI  N.K. PREMACHANDRAN,  SHRIMATI  DARSHANA  VIKRAM  JARDOSH,  SHRIMATI  PRATYUSHA RAJESHWARI SINGH AND SHRI HARIOM SINGH RATHORE  TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 22.03.2017 REGARDING NEW LINES/GAUGE CONVERSION

(a)  &  (b):    Zone-wise  details  of  the  sections  of  new  lines  and  conversion  from  Narrow Gauge (NG) to Broad Gauge (BG) commissioned across the country during the last three years  and  the  current  year  i.e.  2013-14,  2014-15,  2015-16  and  2016-17  are  as  given below:-

| Zonal Railway      | 2013-14 (Completed/ Commissioned)   | 2013-14 (Completed/ Commissioned)   | 2014-15 (Commissioned)   | 2014-15 (Commissioned)   | 2015-16 (Commissioned)   | 2015-16 (Commissioned)   | 2016-17 (Upto Feb'17) (Commissioned for passenger service)   | 2016-17 (Upto Feb'17) (Commissioned for passenger service)   |
|--------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|                    | New Line                            | NG to BG Conversion                 | New Line                 | NG to BG Conversion      | New Line                 | NG to BG Conversion      | New Line                                                     | NG to BG Conversion                                          |
| Central            |                                     |                                     |                          |                          |                          |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| Eastern            | 39                                  |                                     | 46                       |                          | 86                       | 40                       | 29                                                           |                                                              |
| Northern           | 42                                  |                                     | 25                       |                          | 80                       |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| North Eastern      |                                     |                                     |                          |                          |                          |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| Northeast Frontier | 12                                  |                                     | 42                       |                          | 114                      |                          | 50                                                           |                                                              |
| Southern           | 7                                   |                                     |                          |                          |                          |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| South Central      | 40                                  |                                     |                          |                          | 106                      |                          | 83                                                           |                                                              |
| South Eastern      |                                     |                                     |                          |                          |                          |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| Western            |                                     |                                     |                          |                          | 23                       |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| East Central       | 123                                 |                                     | 170                      |                          | 100                      |                          | 80                                                           |                                                              |
| East Coast         | 16                                  |                                     | 33                       |                          | 10                       |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| North Central      | 30                                  |                                     | 36                       |                          | 168                      |                          | 72                                                           |                                                              |
| North Western      | 49                                  |                                     | 28                       |                          | 9                        |                          |                                                              |                                                              |
| South East Central |                                     |                                     |                          |                          | 17                       |                          |                                                              | 44                                                           |
| South Western      | 61                                  |                                     |                          |                          |                          |                          | 40                                                           |                                                              |
| West Central       | 30                                  |                                     |                          |                          | 100                      |                          | 100                                                          |                                                              |

Rate  of  Return  (RoR)  is  calculated  at  the  initial  stage  of  project  while  taking approval of competent authority and the same is not calculated for a section which is a part of that project.

(c): Proposals/representations from State Governments, Ministries of Central Government,  Elected  representatives,  organizations/road  users  etc.  both  formal  and informal  are  received  by  Railways  at  various  levels  including  Railway  Board,  Zonal Railways, Division Office etc. As receipt of such complaints/suggestions is a continuous and dynamic process, centralized compendium of such requests is not maintained.

Five numbers of Narrow Gauge lines have been proposed in Budget 2017-18 for conversion  to  Broad  Gauge  subject  to  requisite  approvals.    Total  length  of  these  5 projects is 185.57 Km.

(d)  &  (e):  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. However, the progress of  new  line  projects  is  affected  by  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forestry clearance, NOC from various State/Central Government agencies, Law & Order problems, public protests against acquisition of land/compensation etc.

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