Lok Sabha Question No. 2808 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-10
Subject: Laying New Track between Thiruthuraipoondi-Velankanni
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: M. Selvaraj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2808 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.07.2019

## LAYING NEW TRACK BETWEEN THIRUTHURAIPOONDI-VELANKANNI

2808. SHRI M. SELVARAJ:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the work for laying of new rail track between Thiruthuraipoondi to Velankanni is on progress during the last ten years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether action will be initiated to speed up the work and if so, the details thereof along with the time by when the work is likely to be completed and train service  will begin on this route; and
- (d) the  total  amount  earmarked/allocated  and  spent  for  this  purpose till date?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2808  BY  SHRI  M.  SELVARAJ  TO  BE ANSWERED IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  10.07.2019    REGARDING  LAYING  NEW TRACK BETWEEN THIRUTHURAIPOONDI-VELANKANNI

- (a)  to  (d):  No  work  of  new  line  is  sanctioned    from  Tiruturaipundi  to Velankanni. However, two separate new line works namely Nagapattinam-Velankanni  (10  Km)  &  Nagapattinam-Tiruturaipundi  (43 Km)  were  sanctioned  as  material  modification  to  TiruchchirappalliNagore  gauge  conversion  project.    The  details  of  these  02  new  lines works is as under:-
1. Nagapattinam-Velankanni new line (10 Km) was sanctioned during 1999-2000  and  after  completion  of  construction  work,  the  section  has been commissioned.
2. Nagapattinam-Tiruturaipundi new line work (43 Km) was sanctioned during 2008-09 at a cost of ` 126.14 crore and works related to  land  acquisition,  earthwork  and  bridge  works  have  been  taken  up wherever the land is available.

The timely completion of any Railway project depends on various factors like quick land acquisition by State Government, forest clearance by officials of forest department, shifting of infringing utilities (both  underground  &  over  ground),  statutory  clearances  from  various authorities, geological & topographical conditions of area, law & order situation in the area of project site, number of working months in a year for  particular  project  site  due  to  climatic  considerations,  encountering unforeseen conditions like earthquake, flooding, excessive rains, strikes of labour, orders of Hon'ble Courts, situation and conditions of working

agencies/contractors  etc.  and  all  these  factors  affects  the  completion cost of the project, which is finally worked out at the completion stage.

In the overall interest of the Nation and to ensure that projects are completed  in  time  without  cost  overrun,  lot  of  monitoring  is  done  in Railways at various levels (field  level,  Divisional  level,  Zonal  level  and Board  level)  and  regular  meetings  are  held  with  the  officials  of  State Government  and  concerned  authorities  to  resolve  the  pending  issues that are obstructing the progress of projects.

To ensure that projects are completed even before time, Railway has adopted the concept of incentives to the contractor in the form of bonus  clause  in  contracts  which  will  further  enhance  the  pace  of execution of projects.

For  important  projects,  capacity  enhancement  projects,  last  mile connectivity etc. institutional financing has been done by arranging loan of ` 1.5  lakh  crore,  which  has  increased  Railways'    capacity  for committed fund provision for essential projects.

Since complete encumbrance free land has still not been handed over by State Government to the Railways, therefore, no confirmed time frame can be fixed for completion of projects at this stage.

Nevertheless, an expenditure of ` 637.74 crore has been incurred on  Tiruchchirappalli-Nagore  gauge  conversion  project  including  above mentioned material modifications upto March 2019 and an outlay of ` 40 crore has been provided during 2019-20.

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