Lok Sabha Question No. 4020 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-18
Subject: Survey of Railway Lines in Odisha
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Basanta Kumar Panda

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4020 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2020

## SURVEY OF RAILWAY LINES IN ODISHA

†4020. SHRI BASANTA KUMAR PANDA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a survey has been conducted last year in Odisha to introduce a new railway line from Bargarh to Nuapada, Nuapada to Bolangir and Kantabaaji to Junagarh;
- (b)  if so, whether the work on the said project has been started or likely to be started in the near future;
- (c)   if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)   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.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a) TO (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4020 BY SHRI BASANTA KUMAR PANDA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 18.03.2020 REGARDING SURVEY OF RAILWAY LINES IN ODISHA (a) to (d): Survey for a new line between Bargarh and Naupada (136 km) has been completed in 2018-19.  Traffic Study and Financial Appraisal for the new line between Bargarh Road to Naupada was done by Odisha Rail Infrastructure Development Limited (ORIDL), a Joint Venture (JV) company of State Government of Odisha and Ministry of Railways. This report  was  examined  by  Railway  Board  and  was  not  found  to  be financially  viable.  To  improve  the  Financial  viability,  Government  of Odisha has been  requested to bear the entire cost of land and Rehabilitation and Resettlement cost (RR cost). Survey  for  a  new  line  between  Bolangir  and  Naupada  (100  km)  was completed in 2014 and the cost of the project was assessed at ` 787.34 crore.  Project could not be taken forward being financially unviable. Junagarh is already connected with Kantabanji via Lanjigarh. No survey has been done for direct line between Kantabanji to Junagarh. At present, 36 Projects, costing ` 49,984 crore for 4,567 km length, falling fully/partly in the State of Odisha are under different stages of planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which  664  km  length  has  been commissioned. This includes: 10 New Line Projects, covering a length of 1,269 km at a cost of ` 16,598 crore,  out  of  which,  80  km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ` 4,260 crore has been incurred upto March 2019. 1 Gauge Conversion (GC) project, covering a length of 140 km at a cost of 1349 crore,  out of which, 90 km length has been commissioned and an

` expenditure of ` 191 crore has been incurred upto March 2019.

25 Doubling Projects, covering a length of 3,159 km at a cost of ` 32,037 crore,  out  of  which,  494  km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ` 8,246 crore has been incurred upto March 2019.

BUDGET ALLOCATION  (FOR  THE  PROJECTS  FALLING  FULLY/PARTLY  IN THE STATE OF ODISHA):

Average annual Budget allocation for the projects, falling fully/partly in the State of Odisha for Infrastructure projects & safety works, during 2014-19 has  increased to ` 4,126 crore per year, from ` 838 crore per year (during 2009-14).  Thus,  the  average  annual  budget  allocation  during  2014-19  is 392% more than average annual budget allocation during 2009-14.

Total  allocation  of  Budget  for  Infrastructure  projects  &  safety  works, falling fully/partly in the State of Odisha, in 2019-20 is ` 4,568 crore, which is  445%  more  than  average  annual  budget  allocation  during    2009-14, ( ` 838 crore).

COMMISSIONING OF PROJECTS (FALLING FULLY/PARTLY IN THE STATE OF ODISHA):

During 2009-14, 267 km (56 km of New line, 83 km of Gauge conversion and 128 km of Doubling) projects, falling fully/partly in the State of Odisha, have been commissioned at an average rate of 53 km per year.

During  2014-19,  588  km  (136  km  of  New  line  and  452  km  of  Doubling) projects, falling fully/partly in the State of Odisha, have been commissioned at an average rate of 118 km per year,  which is 120% more than commissioning achieved during 2009-14.

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