Lok Sabha Question No. 4637 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-24
Subject: Railway Projects in Bihar
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Pradeep Kumar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4637 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.03.2021

RAILWAY PROJECTS IN BIHAR

†4637. SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) the  details  of  new  railway  projects  sanctioned  in  the  country including Bihar during the last three years zone-wise;

- (b) the  details  of  projects  completed  ahead  of  schedule  and  the delayed projects in Bihar including Araria district;
- (c) the details of the delayed projects which have cost overrun and the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(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. 4637 BY SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  24.03.2021  REGARDING  RAILWAY PROJECTS IN BIHAR

(a):  During the last three financial years i.e. 2017-18, 2018-19 and 201920,  141  projects  (New  Line/Gauge  Conversion/Doubling)  of  10,499  km length costing ` 1,38,729 crore have been included in the Budget subject to requisite approvals, out of which  there  are 8 projects falling fully/partly in the state of Bihar (2 New Line and 6 Doubling) of a total length of 496.10 km costing ` 5890 crore.

Details of New line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling projects zone-wise included in the Budget subject to requite approvals during the last three years i.e. FY 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 is as under:-

2019-20

| Zonal Railway              |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |
|----------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Central Railway            |         3 |         4 |         2 |
| Eastern Railway            |         0 |         0 |         1 |
| East Central Railway       |         1 |         4 |         5 |
| East Coast Railway         |         1 |         1 |         2 |
| Northern Railway           |         7 |         2 |         8 |
| North Central Railway      |         5 |        10 |         1 |
| North Eastern Railway      |         5 |         0 |         1 |
| Northeast Frontier Railway |         5 |         0 |         2 |
| North Western Railway      |         2 |         2 |         5 |
| Southern Railway           |         1 |         2 |         4 |
| South Central Railway      |         1 |         1 |         3 |
| South Eastern Railway      |         2 |         5 |         4 |
| South East Central Railway |         0 |         1 |         1 |
| South Western Railway      |         1 |         6 |         3 |
| Western Railway            |        20 |         3 |         2 |
| West Central Railway       |         0 |         0 |         2 |
| Total                      |        54 |        41 |        46 |

The  project-wise  details  including  cost,  expenditure  and  outlay  are website of  Railways  >Railway  Board >About Indian Railways >Railway Board Directorates >Finance (Budget) >Railways> Pink Book (year) >Railway-wise Works, Machinery & Rolling available in public domain on Indian Railways' i.e. www.indianrailways.gov.in >Ministry Stock Programme (RSP).

(b): Presently, 57 New Line/Gauge Conversion/Doubling Projects, covering a length of 5267 km costing ` 74,880 crore falling fully/partly in the  State  of  Bihar  including  Araria  district  are  in  different  stages  of planning/sanction/execution,  out  of  which,  1306  km  length  has  been commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ` 22,123  crore  has  been  incurred upto March, 2020.

Average  annual  Budget  allocation  for  infrastructure  and  safety  works, falling  fully/  partly  in  State  of  Bihar  during  2014-19,  has  increased  to ` 3,061 crore per year from ` 1,132 crore per year during 2009-14, which is 170% more than average annual budget outlay  of  2009-14  and  budget outlay of ` 4,489 crore was provided to these projects for financial year 2020-21 which is 297% more than average annual budget outlay of 200914. For financial year 2021-22, highest-ever budget outlay of ` 5,150 crore has been proposed for these works, which is 355% more than average annual budget outlay of 2009-14.

During  2014-19,  695  km  length  (240  km  New  Lines,  280  km  Gauge Conversion and 175 km Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Bihar has been commissioned, which is 119% more than the commissioning during  2009-14  (318  km).  During  2019-20,  231  km  length  (64  km  New Lines,  45  km  Gauge  Conversion  and  122  km  Doubling)  has  been commissioned which is 263% more than average annual commissioning during 2009-14 (63.6 km/year).

(c):  Completion  of  Railway  project(s)  depends  on  various  factors  like expeditious  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest  clearance  by officials  of  forest  department,  shifting  of  infringing  utilities,  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 etc. and all these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project(s) which is finally worked out at the completion stage.

(d): Various steps being taken by the Railways for effective and speedy implementation of rail projects include (i) prioritisation of projects  (ii) substantial  increase  in  allocation  of  funds  on  priority  projects  (iii) delegation of powers at field level  (iv)  close  monitoring  of  progress  of project  at  various  levels  (v)  regular  follow  up  with  State  Governments and concerned authorities for expeditious land acquisition, forestry and Wildlife clearances and for resolving other issues pertaining to projects.

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