Lok Sabha Question No. 2850 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-11
Subject: Construction of Phaltan to Pandharpur Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2850 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.03.2020

## CONSTRUCTION OF PHALTAN TO PANDHARPUR RAILWAY LINE

†2850. SHRI RANJEETSINGH HINDURAO NAIK NIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the construction work of Phaltan to Pandharpur railway line  has  not  started  even  after  approval  due  to  the  shortage  of budget as Pandharpur is a famous pilgrimage of Maharashtra and more than five lac Hindus Pilgrims visit this place in the month of Ashadha and these yatras have been organised continuously for the last 800 years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any time-frame has been set to complete the construction  work  of  Phaltan  to  Pandharpur  and  Pandharpur  to Satara Railway line; and
- (d) the time by which  this construction work  is likely to be completed?

## 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. 2850 BY SHRI RANJEETSINGH HINDURAO NAIK  NIMBALKAR  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  11.03.2020 REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF PHALTAN TO PANDHARPUR RAILWAY LINE

(a)  and  (b):        Phaltan-Pandharpur  (108.70  km)  new  line  project  was included in Budget 2017-18 subject to requisite Government approvals. As per Detailed Project Report (DPR), cost of this new line project has been assessed as ` 1,153 crore with Rate of Return (-) 3%.

Considering the huge shelf of ongoing new line projects and being financially unremunerative, it is very difficult for Railways to bear the entire cost of the project. Accordingly, Government of Maharashtra has been requested to give consent for bearing 50% cost of the project and also to provide land free of cost so that project can be processed for sanction.

-  PROJECTS IN MAHARASHTRA (PROJECTS FALING FULLY/PARTLY IN THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA) :
-  38  Projects  costing ` 73,485  crore  for  5,879  km  length  falling fully/partly in Maharashtra are under different stage of planning/approval/execution. These include:
- o 16 New Line Projects covering a length of 2,043 km at a cost of ` 38,129 crore. Out of which, 63 km length has been commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ` 3,479  crore  has  been incurred upto March 2019.

- o 5 Gauge Conversion Projects covering a length of 1,135 km at a cost  of ` 11,102  crore.  Out  of  which,  500  km  length  has  been commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ` 4,324  crore  has  been incurred upto March 2019.
- o 17 Doubling Projects covering a length of 2,701 km at a cost of ` 24,255 crore. Out of which, 234 km length has been commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ` 5,369  crore  has  been incurred upto March 2019.

##  BUDGET ALLOCATION (FOR THE PROJECTS FALLING FULLY/PARTLY IN THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA):

-  Average annual Budget allocation on  infrastructure projects  and safety  works,  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra, during 2014-19 has increased to ` 4,801 crore per year from ` 1,171 crore per year (during 2009-14). Thus, the average annual Budget allocation during 2014-19 is 310% more as compared to average annual allocation of 2009-14.
-  Total  allocation  of  Budget  for  infrastructure  projects  and  safety works, falling fully/ partly in State of   Maharashtra, in 2019-20 is ` 7,281 crore, which is 522% more than the average annual Budget allocation of 2009-14.
-  COMMISSIONING  OF  PROJECTS  (FALLING  FULLY/PARTLY  IN  THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA):
- During  2009-14,  292  km  (111  km  of  New  Line,  135  km  of  Gauge Conversion and 46 km of Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Maharashtra, have been commissioned at an average rate of 58
-  km per year.

-  During  2014-19,  596  km  (87  km  of  New  Line,  92  km  of  Gauge Conversion and 417 km of Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of  Maharashtra,  have  been  commissioned  in  the  State  at  an average  rate  of  119  km  per  year,  which  is  104%  more  than commissioning during 2009-14.

(c) and (d):         Question of completion time line of the project does not arise since the project is not sanctioned.  Satara to Phaltan via Lonand is an existing line.

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