Lok Sabha Question No. 1740 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-21
Subject: Repair of Old Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Devendrappa Y, Saikia Dilip

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1740 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.09.2020

## REPAIR OF OLD TRACKS

1740. SHRI Y. DEVENDRAPPA : SHRI DILIP SAIKIA :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has formulated a plan to repair old rail tracks and overhaul the dilapidated rail bridges across the country;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  of  such  plan  to  renew  tracks  and  reconstruct the dilapidated bridges in the States including Bihar;
- (c) whether any time limit has been fixed in this regard; and
- (d)  if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1740 BY SHRI Y. DEVENDRAPPA AND SHRI DILIP SAIKIA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 21.09.2020 REGARDING REPAIR OF OLD TRACKS (a) to (d) Track: Railway tracks are replaced through track renewal works  which  is  an  ongoing  process.  Track  renewal  works  are undertaken as and when a stretch of track becomes due for renewal on the basis of criteria laid down in Indian Railway Permanent Way Manual on age/condition basis viz. traffic carried in terms of gross million  tonnes,  incidence  of  rail  fracture/failure,  wear  of  rails, corrosion of rails, maintainability of track as per standards etc. On Meter  Gauge  (MG)  and  Narrow  Gauge  (NG)  tracks,  which  are sanctioned  for  Gauge  conversion,  the  track  renewal  works,  if required,  are  undertaken  after  due  consideration  of  progress  of execution of gauge conversion. Details of track renewals are maintained Zone-wise and not Statewise.  The  State  of  Bihar  falls  in  Eastern  Railway,  East  Central Railway,  North  Eastern  Railway  and  Northeast  Frontier  Railway. During the last five years (2015-16 to 2019-20), total 17985 km track has been renewed on Indian Railways, out of which 3260 km was carried out in the above four (04) Zonal Railways covering State of Bihar. A target for track renewal of 3200 km has been kept for the year  2020-21  for  Indian  Railways,  out  of  which  493  km  track  is targeted for renewal in the above four Zonal  Railways covering the State of Bihar. Track  renewal  works  are  sanctioned  every  year  on  the  basis  of traffic  carried,  condition  etc  and  their  execution  is  prioritized according  to  condition  of  track  and  overall  availability  of  funds. Normally, track renewal works are completed in two to three years of sanction.

Bridges:  Safety  of  bridges  is  accorded  high  priority  on  Indian Railways.  There  is  a  well  established  system  of  inspection  of bridges on Indian Railways. All the bridges are inspected by twice a year, once before the onset of monsoon and once after the monsoon designated  officials.  After  inspection,  every  bridge  is  assigned  an Overall  Rating  Number  (ORN)  and  based  on  the  ORN  of  bridge, rebuilding/strengthening is undertaken. In addition, certain bridges are also inspected more frequently depending upon their condition. Repair/strengthening/rehabilitation/rebuilding of railway bridges is a continuous  process  and  is  undertaken  whenever  so  warranted  by their  physical  condition  as  ascertained  during  these  inspections. During  the  last  five  years  (2015-16  to  2019-20),  a  total  of  4727 bridges have been  repaired/strengthened/rehabilitated/rebuilt on Indian Railways. The information on bridges is maintained Zone-wise and not Statewise.  Bihar  State  is  covered  under  Eastern  Railway,  East  Central Railway,  North  Eastern  Railway,  and  Northeast  Frontier  Railway. There  is  no  bridge  in  dilapidated  condition  in  all  the  concerned zones covering Bihar State. However, as on 01.04.2020, a total of 1786  bridges  in  the  above  four  (04)  Zonal  Railways  have  been sanctioned for repair/strengthening/rehabilitation etc. *****