Lok Sabha Question No. 3989 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-17
Subject: Doubling/Electrification of Jhansi-Manikpur Rail Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: R.K. Singh Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3989 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.07.2019

## DOUBLING/ELECTRIFICATION OF JHANSI-MANIKPUR RAIL LINE

- †3989.  SHRI R. K. SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  project  work  of  doubling  and  electrification  of Jhansi-Manikpur via Banda-Chitrakant Dham Karvi rail line under North Central Railway is in progress;
- (b)       if so, the details thereof along with the current status of  the said project;
- (c)      the prescribed time frame to complete the said project; and
- (d)     the steps taken/being taken by the Railways for timely completion of the said project?

## 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. 3989 BY SHRI R. K. SINGH PATEL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK  SABHA  ON  17.7.2019  REGARDING  DOUBLING/ELECTRIFICATION  OF JHANSI-MANIKPUR RAIL LINE.

- (a) and (b) The work of doubling of Jhansi-Manikpur and Kherar-Bhimsen (Kanpur)  411  km  and  Chord  line  at  Mahoba  and  Khairar  (14  km)  was included in Budget 2016-17 subject to requisite approvals.   After requisite approvals, Project was sanctioned with cost of 4329.53 crore in March, 2018 and agencies for construction work in Barwasagar-Mauranipur (42.38 km) and Harpalpur-Mahoba  (52.84 km) sections have been finalized.
- (c) and (d)    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  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 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.    All  these  factors  affects  the completion time and cost of the project, which is finally worked out at the completion stage.  Since so far, complete land has not been acquired and handed  over  by  State  Government  to  Railway,  therefore,  no  confirmed time frame can be fixed for completion of project at this stage.

Nevertheless, 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.  Railway  has  also  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.

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