Lok Sabha Question No. 14 (STARRED), answered on 2018-07-18
Subject: Capacity of Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: R. GOPALAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 14 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2018

## CAPACITY OF TRAINS

- *14. SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Railways  have  taken  steps  to  increase  the  capacity  of trains and services on the busiest routes in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has identified such busiest rail routes and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the rail route involving Madurai is also one among them; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken for increasing the capacity on the Madurai rail route?

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COAL, FINANCE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## ANSWER (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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  STARRED QUESTION NO. 14 BY SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 18.07.2018 REGARDING CAPACITY OF TRAINS

(a) to (c):

1. In the backdrop of over saturation of many networks on Indian Railways due to the tremendous growth in freight and passenger traffic, Railway Board has identified 7 High Density Networks (HDN) on Indian Railways (IR).

There are 7 identified High Density Network Routes on Indian Railways as given below:

HDN-1   Delhi - Howrah

HDN-2   Howrah - Mumbai

HDN-3   Mumbai - Delhi

HDN-4   Delhi - Guwahati

HDN-5  Delhi - Chennai

HDN-6   Chennai - Howrah

HDN-7   Chennai - Mumbai

## Out of the 7 HDN routes of IR, the HDN routes under Southern Railway (SR)  jurisdiction are:

| HDN No.         | HDN Route                                              | SR jurisdiction              |
|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|
| HDN - 5 HDN - 6 | Delhi to Chennai via Gudur Howrah to Chennai via Gudur | Chennai - Gudur              |
| HDN - 7         | Mumbai to Chennai                                      | Chennai-Arakkonam- Renigunta |

2. To increase the capacity of trains and services on these identified busy routes,  additional  infrastructural  requirements  like  by-passes  /flyovers, doubling/ tripling, provision of longer loops, automatic signalling, electrification, etc., wherever required, are being planned.

## (d) and (e): No, Madam. Madurai is not covered under HDN routes.

Electrification  of  the  following  sections  in  Madurai  Division  has  been sanctioned in Pink Book 2018-19:

| Sections                                                    |   Cost in Crores of ` |
|-------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| Tiruchchirappalli (Excl) - Manamadurai - Virudunagar (Excl) |                193.44 |
| Kollam - Punalur                                            |                 43.44 |
| Virudunagar - Tenkasi Jn.                                   |                 94.45 |
| Sengottai -Tenkasi Jn.- Tirunelveli - Tiruchendur           |                121.14 |
| Madurai - Manamadurai Jn. - Rameswaram                      |                158.28 |
| Dindigul - Palani - Pollachi - Palakkad                     |                159.08 |

The  following  facilities  at  Madurai  yard  have  been  proposed  as  part  of Madurai-Tuticorin doubling project:

-  Double line arrangements at Virudunagar side.
-  Modification of yard in connection with Madurai - Bodinayakkanur Gauge Conversion project.
-  3 additional stabling lines of 26 Coaches capacity each.
-  Provision of One additional High Level Platform of 18 Coaches length and extension of 2 existing platforms to 26 Coaches capacity.
-  In  Madurai  area, double broad gauge line from Madurai to Chennai and single broad gauge line from Rameshwaram to Palghat/Karaikudi/Tiruchchirappalli via Madurai have been provided. Further,  gauge  conversion  of  Karaikudi-Thiravarur/Agastiyampalli  and doubling  of  entire  route  from  Madurai-Tuticorin  and  VanchiManiyachiNagercoil/Kanniyakumari lines are in various stages of execution.
-  Presently,  Madurai  is  being  served  by  47  pairs  of  train  services  which includes 34 pairs of Express and 13 pairs of passenger trains.

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