Lok Sabha Question No. 4046 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-18
Subject: Tindivanam-Thiruvannamalai Railway Project
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: M.K. Vishnu Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4046 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2020

## TINDIVANAM - THIRUVANNAMALAI RAILWAY PROJECT

4046.   DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K.:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  complete  the  TindivanamNagari and Tindivanam to Thiruvannamalai Railway project in Arni Parliamentary Constituency of Tamil Nadu;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the all formalities like environment clearance and acquisition of land has been completed for the above said project;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  time  likely  to  be  taken  in  the  completion  of  the  above  said project?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(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 UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4046 BY DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K. TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 18.03.2020 REGARDING TINDIVANAM THIRUVANNAMALAI RAILWAY PROJECT

(a) to (e): The new line project between Tindivanam and Tiruvannamalai for  a  length  of  71  Km  was  sanctioned  in  2006-07,  anticipated  cost  of project is ` 900 crore, so far, an expenditure of ` 63.28 crore has been incurred on the project.

Total  requirement  of  land  for  the  project  is  662  acre.    Land acquition  was initiated  in  2010.    An  amount  of ` 14.49 crore has been deposited  as  an  advance  payment  towards  land  acquisition  to  Tamil Nadu State Government during 2011, 2012 & 2017. So far, only 65 acre land is  handed over to Railway.  Execution on the project depends on acquisition  of  land,  which  suffered  badly  due  to  quashing  of  land acquisition proceedings in the state of Tamil Nadu by Hon'ble High Court of Tamil Nadu.

 The new line project between Tindivanam and Nagari for a length of  185  Km  was  sanctioned  in  2006-07,  anticipated  cost  of  project  is ` 2,300 crore, so far, an expenditure of ` 243 crore has been incurred in the project.

Total requirement of land for the project is 1798 acre (1700 acreTamil  Nadu  &  98  acre-  Andhra  Pradesh  including  forest  land  of  4.67 hectare  in  Tamil  Nadu  and  4.7  hectare  in  Andhra  Pradesh).  Land acquition  was  initiated  in  2010  &  2011.  An  amount  of ` 57.12  crore deposited towards land acquisition in Tamil Nadu and only 4.67 acres of land received so far. Regarding Andhra Pradesh, ` 16.01 crore deposited and 75.67 acres of land have been handed over to Railway.  Thus, so far, only 80.34 acres of land has been received for the project.

Railway  projects  don't  require  environment  clearance.    However, action  for  forestry  clearance  of  4.832  Hectare  land  in  Tamil  Nadu  has been  taken  up,  and  stage  I  clearance  of  4.88  Hectare  forest  land  in Andra Predesh  has been obtained.

6.5 Km long track linking work completed between Walajah road Ranipet.    Further  execution  of  work  can  be  taken  up  only  after acquisition of land by State Governments.

## BUDGET ALLOCATION (FOR THE PROJECT FALLING FULLY/PARTLY IN THE STATE OF TAMILNADU):

Average  annual  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  &  safety works, falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu, during 2014-19 has increased to ` 1,979 crore, from ` 879 crore (during 2009-14). Thus, the average annual budget allocation for 2014-19 is 125% more than average annual Budget allocation during 2009-14.

Total  Budget  Estimate  (BE)  outlay  for  Infrastructure  &  safety works,  falling,  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Tamil  Nadu,  in  2019-20  is ` 2,410 crore, which is 174% more than average annual Budget outlay of 2009-14.

The 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 and over ground), statutory clearances from various authorities,  geological  and  topographical  conditions  of  area,  law  and order situation in the area of project site, number of working months in a

year for particular project site due to climatic conditions, encountering unforeseen conditions like earthquake, flooding, excessive rains, strikes of labour, orders of Hon'ble Courts, situation and conditions of working agencies/contractors  etc.  All these factors vary from project to project and site to site and affect the completion time and cost of the project, which is finally worked  out at the completion stage. Therefore, confirmed time line for completion of project cannot be ascertained at this stage.

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