Lok Sabha Question No. 1641 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: Pending New Rail Lines
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Nayab Singh, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Ravindra Kushawaha, Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Sangamlal Kadedin Gupta, John Barla

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1641 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.09.2020

## PENDING NEW RAIL LINES

†1641.  SHRI NAYAB SINGH: SHRI RAVI KISHAN: SHRI RAVINDRA KUSHWAHA: SHRI MANOJ TIWARI: SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA: SHRI JOHN BARLA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether various projects including new rail lines are pending for a long time due to shortage of funds and other technical reasons in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR and West Bengal;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years;
- (c) whether the Government has not allocated adequate funds for pending rail projects;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (e) whether  the  work  of  constructing  a  drain  along  Meet  Nagar  Saboli railway halt in Delhi has been stalled;
- (f) if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

*****

STATEMENT REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (g)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1641 BY SHRI NAYAB SINGH, SHRI RAVI KISHAN,  SHRI  RAVINDRA  KUSHWAHA,  SHRI  MANOJ  TIWARI,  SHRI SANGAM LAL GUPTA AND SHRI JOHN BARLA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 21.09.2020  REGARDING  PENDING NEW RAIL LINES.

(a)  and (b):     No, Sir.  Railway Projects are sanctioned Zonal Railway wise, not State wise as Indian Railways' network spans across various State boundaries. As on 01.04.2020, total 513 projects (189 New line, 54  Gauge  Conversion  and  270  doubling)  covering  a  total  length  of 53,039  Km  including  falling  fully/partly   in  the  state  of  Delhi/NCR, Haryana,  Uttar  Pradesh  and  West  Bengal  are  in  different  stages  of planning/sanction/execution,  out of which 10,013 Km length has been commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ₹ 1.86  Lakh  Crore  has  been incurred upto March,2020.

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

During  2014-19  total  13,124  Km  length  (New  line,  Gauge  conversion and  Doubling)  has  been  commissioned  on  Indian  Railways,  which  is 73% more than during 2009-14 (7,599 Km).

Completion of any Railway Project(s) depends on various factors like quick  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 climate  conditions  etc.  and  all  these  factors  differs  from  project  to project and affects the completion time of the project (s). (c)  and  (d):    Average  annual  expenditure  for  New  lines,  Gauge Conversion and Doubling projects over Indian Railways during 2014-19 has increased to ₹ 26,026 Cr/year from ₹ 11,527 Cr/year (during 200914) which is 126% more than during 2009-14.  The expenditure during 2019-20  further  increased  to ₹ 39,836  Cr.,  which  is  246%  more  than average annual expenditure of 2009-14 and the highest ever expenditure in any financial year. (e)  to  (g):      Yes,  Sir.    The  construction  of  RCC  open  drain  between Wazirabad to U.P border  was mutually agreed on 50:50 cost sharing basis  between  Railways  and  Members  of  Parliament  Local  Area Development (MPLAD) fund for a cost of ₹ 3.00 Cr.  Executive Engineer Planning,  East  Delhi  Municipal  Corporation  released  an  amount  of ₹ 1,12,04,879/- vide letter dated 05.05.2020 against their share of ₹ 1.50 Cr.   However,  vide  subsequent  letter  dated  21.08.2020,  the  allotted amount  has  been  cancelled.   As  such  the  work  could  not  start  as sufficient fund was not released timely.

*****