Lok Sabha Question No. 584 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-06
Subject: Unutilized Land
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 584 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2019

## UNUTILIZED LAND

†584.       DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK' :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) the  area  of  Railway  land  lying  unutilized  and  undeveloped  in various States of the country and the State-wise details thereof;

(b) the date since when this land is lying unutilized and whether the Government has created any monitoring mechanism to safeguard the said land from encroachment and if so, the details thereof;

c) whether the scheme of the Government to provide the said land on lease for other purposes is under consideration and if so, the details thereof;

d) whether the Government has taken any concrete steps for proper development and utilization of the said land; and e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(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.  584  BY  DR.  RAMESH  POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK'  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  06.02.2019 REGARDING UNUTILIZED LAND

(a)  to  (e):    As  on  31.03.2018,  Indian  Railways  has  about  0.51  lakh hectare (approximately) of vacant land. This vacant land is mostly in the form of narrow strips along tracks and utilized for servicing and  maintenance  of  track,  bridges  and  other  infrastructure.  The vacant land is also utilized for execution of various infrastructural projects for meeting future growth needs of Railways which include projects like doubling/tripling and  traffic facilities works, etc. Railways' operations also necessarily require development of ancillary logistic support/infrastructure such as bulk oil installations and  oil  depots,  steel  yards,  concrete  sleeper  plants,  coal  dumps, connectivity  to  private  sidings,  connectivity  to  ports  and  other infrastructure, commercial plots, vending stalls, etc. for which land is  leased/licensed.  The  vacant  land,  which  is  not  required  by Railways  for  its  immediate  operational  needs,  is  utilized  in  the interim  period  for  commercial  development  through  Rail  Land Development  Authority (RLDA), wherever  feasible, in order to mobilize additional financial resources. Presently, 59 sites measuring  214  hectare  (approx.)  where  commercial  development seems feasible have been entrusted to RLDA. The Railways do not maintain State-wise details of vacant Railway land. However, zonewise details/data are maintained by Railways and the same are as under:-

## (Figures in hectares)

| Zonal Railway      |   Vacant Land |
|--------------------|---------------|
| Central            |       2022.03 |
| Eastern            |       2110.49 |
| East Central       |       4094.75 |
| East Coast         |       3011.28 |
| Northern           |      11438.7  |
| North Central      |        735.11 |
| North Eastern      |       5564.67 |
| Northeast Frontier |       1410.45 |
| North Western      |       1277.35 |
| Southern           |       2741.44 |
| South Central      |       1276.58 |
| South Eastern      |        464.76 |
| South East Central |       3142.72 |
| South Western      |       4662.15 |
| Western            |       6258.54 |
| West Central       |        617.45 |
| Total              |      50828.5  |

Railways carry out regular surveys of encroachment and take  action  for  their  removal.  If  the  encroachments  are  of temporary nature (soft encroachments) in the shape of jhuggies, jhopris and squatters, the same are got removed in consultation  with  and  the  assistance  of  Railway  Protection Force  and  local  civil  authorities.    For  old  encroachments, where  party  is  not  amenable  to  persuasion,  action  is  taken under  Public  Premises  (Eviction  of  Unauthorized  Occupants) Act,  1971  (PPE  Act,  1971),  as  amended  from  time  to  time. Actual eviction of unauthorized occupants is carried out with the assistance of State Government and police.

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