Lok Sabha Question No. 2715 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-04
Subject: Mhow-Dhar-Jhabua-Dahod Rail Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Guman Singh Damor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2715 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2019

## MHOW-DHAR-JHABUA-DAHOD RAIL LINE

†2715. SHRI GUMAN SINGH DAMOR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)   the extent of land acquisition work yet to be completed so far for Mhow, Pithampur, Dhar, Jhabua and Dahod railway lines that are under-construction and the time by which the said work is likely to be completed;
- (b)    the  time  by  which  the  construction  of  the  said  railway  lines  is scheduled to be completed along with the time by which this is likely to be actually completed;
- (c) the cost of the said project finalised at the time of its commencement along with the amount of funds spent thereon at present; and
- (d)  the estimated amount likely to be spent till the 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. 2715 BY SHRI GUMAN SINGH DAMOR TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  04.12.2019  REGARDING  MHOWDHAR-JHABUA-DAHOD RAIL LINE

(a)  to  (d):  Dahod-Indore  via  Sardarpur,  Jhabua    and  Dhar  including material modification for change in alignment via Amjhera (204.76 km) new  line  project  has  been  included  in  the  Budget  2007-08.  The anticipated  cost  of  the  project  is ` 1640  crore.  An  expenditure  of ` 640 crore has been incurred till March, 2019 and an outlay of ` 175 crore has been provided for this project for the year 2019-20.

Indore-Rau-Tihi  (21  Km)  section  has  been  commissioned  and work has been taken up in balance section, wherever land is available.

The project was envisaged to be completed within a period of 5 years from the year of sanction of the project, but got delayed due to inadequate  fund  allotment  till  2013-14,  as,  the  planning  of  land acquisition  and  execution  of  work  was  done  accordingly.  However, from 2014-15 onwards, the project has been getting enhanced funds allotment  and  the  work  in  this  project  speeded  up.  Total  Budget Allocation for this project during 2014-15 to 2018-19 has been ` 476.89 crore, which is 399.13% of total Budget allocation  during 2009-10 to 2013-14 ( ` 119.48 crore).

The land acquisition of 76 km length out of 204.76 km has been completed so far and land acquisition papers for the balance length of 128.76  km  of  889.70  hectare  land  (275.54  hect.  Government  land, 529.11  hect.  private  land  &  85.05  hect.  Forest  land)  have  been submitted  to  concerned  District  Land  Authorities  in  Gujarat  and Madhya  Pradesh. ` 111.73  crore  have  already  been  deposited  to  the State Governments against acquisition of land.

This project  is  quite  challenging  and  involves long  tunnels  and viaducts.  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 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. and all these factors affect the completion of the project. Hence, no confirmed time frame can be given for this project.

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