Lok Sabha Question No. 2740 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-04
Subject: Environmental Clearance for Railway Projects
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ravi Kishan Shukla, Chandra Prakash Joshi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2740 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2019

## ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR RAILWAY PROJECTS

- †2740. SHRI RAVI KISHAN: SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  ambitious  projects  of  the  Railways  for  capacity expansion  by  way  of  gauge  conversion  and  doubling  of  railway lines  has  come  to  a  standstill  for  non-receipt  of  environmental clearance;
- (b) if so, the location/project-wise details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  revenue  loss  and  the  occurrence  of  delay  has  been assessed;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  the  Ministry  of  Environment  has  been  urged  by  the Railways to speed up the process of granting approval in a timebound manner on a fast-track mode;
- (f) if so, the reaction thereto; and
- (g) the other measures taken to obtain environmental clearance to the said projects?

## 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.2740  BY  SHRI  RAVI  KISHAN  AND  SHRI CHANDRA  PRAKASH  JOSHI  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 04.12.2019  REGARDING  ENVIRONMENTAL  CLEARANCE  FOR  RAILWAY PROJECTS

(a), (b) and (g): Railway projects do not require environmental clearance. However, forestry/wild life clearances are required, wherever the diversion of forest land is involved.  Taking permission from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) is an integral part of project execution.

Presently,  Indian  Railways  have  taken  up  18  doubling  and  05  gauge conversion  projects  with  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate Change (MoEF&CC)  and  concerned  State  Governments  for  obtaining forestry/wild-life  clearance/tree  cutting  permission.  List  of  projects  for which  forestry/wild-life clearance/tree cutting  permission  has  been taken up is appended.

In this regard, regular meetings with the officials of MoEF&CC and State Governments are being held to expedite forestry/wild-life clearance/tree cutting  permission  for  Railway  Projects,  so  that,  Railway  Projects  are completed expeditiously.

(c):  No, Sir.

(d): Does not arise.

(e): Yes, Sir.

(f):  MoEF&CC has issued instruction to zonal units, advising them that, if  the  land  is  Railway  land  (i.e.  ownership  of  the  land  vests  with Railways) and which is under 'non-forest use' before 25 th  October 1980, then, provisions of Forest Conservation Act would not apply.

*****

APPENDIX  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a),  (b)  AND  (g)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.2740  BY  SHRI  RAVI  KISHAN  AND  SHRI CHANDRA  PRAKASH  JOSHI  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 04.12.2019  REGARDING  ENVIRONMENTAL  CLEARANCE  FOR  RAILWAY PROJECTS

- (a), (b) and (g): List of projects for which forestry/wild-life clearances/tree  cutting  permission  is  being  obtained  from    Ministry  of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is as under:-

|   SN | Plan Head        | Name of Projects                                                              |
|------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | Doubling         | Jagdalpur - Kirandul Doubling                                                 |
|    2 | Doubling         | Tilak Bridge-AnandVihar 3rd & 4th Line                                        |
|    3 | Doubling         | New Bongaigaon - Golpara - Kamakhya Doubling project                          |
|    4 | Doubling         | Hospet- Tinaighat-Vasco Railway doubling project                              |
|    5 | Doubling         | Katni-Singrauli Doubling                                                      |
|    6 | Doubling         | Bondamunda - Ranchi Doubling                                                  |
|    7 | Doubling         | Patratu- Sonnagar - 3rd line                                                  |
|    8 | Doubling         | 6 th Line Project from Mumbai Central-Borivali                                |
|    9 | Doubling         | Kalyan-Kasara 3 rd line                                                       |
|   10 | Doubling         | Nagpur-Itarsi 3rd line                                                        |
|   11 | Doubling         | Kazipet-Ballarshah 3 rd line projevt                                          |
|   12 | Doubling         | Banspani-Daitari-Tomka-Jakhapura                                              |
|   13 | Doubling         | Bhadrak - Nirgundi 3rd line                                                   |
|   14 | Doubling         | Salegaon-Budhapank 3rd & 4th Line                                             |
|   15 | Doubling         | Jarapada - Budhapank 3rd & 4th line                                           |
|   16 | Doubling         | Viziyanagaram - Titilagarh 3rd line                                           |
|   17 | Doubling         | Eranial - Nagarcovil                                                          |
|   18 | Doubling         | Mathura - Palwal 4th line work                                                |
|   19 | Gauge conversion | Gauge conversion with Railway Electrification between Khijadiya-Visavadar     |
|   20 | Gauge conversion | Gauge conversionwith Railway Electrification between Veraval-Talala-Visavadar |
|   21 | Gauge conversion | Gauge conversionwith Railway Electrification between Junagadh-Visavadar       |
|   22 | Gauge conversion | Ratlam-Mhow- Khandwa-Akola Gauge Conversion Project                           |
|   23 | Gauge conversion | Lucknow Pilibhit via Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Gauge conversion                     |

*****