Lok Sabha Question No. 794 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Second Entrance at Kollam Railway Station
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 794 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019

## SECOND ENTRANCE AT KOLLAM RAILWAY STATION

794.  SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to complete the pending works of Railways and if so, the details of action taken for the completion of such pending works;
- (b) whether the Government has taken note that there is delay in the implementation of works and if so, the details thereof along with the action taken for the timely completion of these works;
- (c) the  details  of  work  relating  to  second  entry  at  Kollam  Railway Station and the reasons for delay, if any, in the said work; and
- (d) the proposed date of completion of foot over bridge, escalator, lift and  other  modernization  facilities  at  second  entry  at  Kollam Railway Station?

## 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. 794 BY  SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  26.06.2019    REGARDING    SECOND ENTRANCE AT KOLLAM RAILWAY STATION

- (a):   As far as New Line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling projects in the country  are  concerned,  189  New  Line,  55  Gauge  Conversion  and  247 Doubling projects are in various stages of planning/approval/execution in the country. Out of the total length of 48860.64 Kms. of these projects, 9113.32 Kms. have been commissioned. Latest anticipated cost of these 491  projects  is ` 6,47,602.93  crores  and  expenditure  of ` 1,43,150.07 crores has been done on these projects upto March, 2019. Budget Outlay of ` 30,198 crores has been made for these projects during 2019-20.

Indian Railways have taken various initiatives to increase pace of execution  of  New  Line,  Gauge  Conversion  and  Doubling  projects.  This includes-

- i. Railway has recently issued policy guidelines for land acquisition. Under  this  policy,  Railway  has  decided  to  take  up  the  execution  only after  complete  land  acquisition.    However,  General  Managers  of  Zonal Railways  have  been  empowered  to  invite  tenders  if  they  have  written assurance of the State Government for the land acquisition. They have also  been  given  powers  to  review  the  projects  where  land  acquisition has been delayed.
- ii. Institutional  financing  by  tying  up  loan  with  M/s  Life  Insurance Corporation of India Limited for ` 1.5 lakh crores for assured funding of viable  projects  has  increased  Railway's  capacity  for  committed  fund provision for essential projects.

iii. Regular follow up with State Government for land acquisition. All Chief  Secretaries  of  the  concerned  State  Governments  have  been advised the details  of  land  acquisition,  Funds  deposited  etc.  and  have been requested to expedite the land acquisition.

(b): Till 2013-14, due to overall limited availability of funds, most of the projects  were  not  progressing  satisfactorily.    Since  2014-15,  based  on physical progress of projects, last mile connectivity projects  and projects for decongesting the existing routes have been given sufficient funds. For this purpose, funds for capacity enhancement projects have been arranged through institutional financing by arranging loan with M/s Life  Insurance  Corporation  of  India  Limited  for ` 1.5  lakh  crores  for assured funding of viable projects.  Thus, there is no constraint of Funds for Execution of Doubling/3 rd & 4 th Line projects. However, execution/completion of projects depends on a number of factors such as  statutory  clearances,  acquisition  of  land,  shifting  of  various  utility services  etc.  Therefore,  it  is  not  feasible  to  give  fixed  time  lines  for completion of the projects.

(c) and (d): It is proposed to complete the pending works related to 2 nd Entry at Kollam. In this regard, Second Entry work at Kollam consists of development of parking area, Booking office, Foot Over Bridge connecting 2 nd  Entry to Platform No.1 & 2, Lift at Platform No.1&2 and Escalators at Platform No.1&2.

The major works of developing Parking area and Booking Office on 2 nd   Entry  along  with  allied  works  have  since  been  commissioned  and opened to public in March, 2019.

The works of construction of Foot Over Bridge from second entry to Platform No. 2 has been completed and commissioned. The construction  of  Foot  Over  Bridge  between  Platform  No.  2  to  Platform No.  1  is  under  progress  and  has  been  planned  for  completion  during 2019-20.

As the Foot Over Bridge work is currently under progress, Escalator and Lift Work can be taken up after completion of Foot Over Bridge work.

Electrification of second entry booking office and LED station name board work have been completed.

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