Lok Sabha Question No. 1241 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Ongoing/Pending Rail Projects in Bihar
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Pradeep Kumar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1241 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2022

## ONGOING/PENDING RAIL PROJECTS IN BIHAR

†1241. SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the project-wise details of various ongoing and pending rail projects in Araria district of Bihar along with the present status thereof;
- (b) the details of the number of rail projects running behind the stipulated time-period ;
- (c) the names of such approved/ongoing projects in the State which are likely to be completed or started during the year 2021-22; and
- (d) the measures being taken by the Government for expeditious completion of the said projects?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (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. 1241 BY SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH TO BE ANSWERED IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  09.02.2022  REGARDING  ONGOING/PENDING  RAIL PROJECTS IN BIHAR

(a)  to  (d):  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned  Zonal  Railway  wise  and  not District/State-wise  as  Indian  Railways'  project  may  spans  across  State boundaries.  However, as on 01.04.2021, 57 projects (35 new lines, 05 gauge conversions and 17 doublings), of total length of 5,267 Km costing ₹ 76,137 crore,  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Bihar  including  Araria  District  of Bihar  are  in  different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which 1,348  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ₹ 25,380 crore has been incurred upto March, 2021. These include:

-  35 new line projects covering a total length of 2,962 Km, costing ₹ 53,773 crore,  out  of  which,  497  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹ 15,710 crore has been incurred upto March'21.
-  5 gauge conversion projects covering a total length of 1,018 Km, costing ₹ 6,188 crore, out of which, 780 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 4,516 crore has been incurred upto March'21.
-  17 doubling projects covering a total length of 1,287 Km, costing ₹ 16176 crore,  out  of  which,  71  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹ 5,154 crore has been incurred upto March'21.

Projects in  the  State  of  Bihar  are  covered  by  East  Central  Railway  (ECR), Eastern Railway (ER), North Eastern Railway (NER) and Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Zones of Indian Railways.  The project-wise details including cost,  expenditure  and  outlay  are  available  in  public  domain  on  Indian Railways  website  i.e.  www.indianrailways.gov.in>  Ministry  of  Railways> Railway  Board  >  About  Indian  Railways>  Railway  Board  Directorates> Finance  (Budget)>  Pink  Book  (year)>Railways-wise  Works,  Machinery  & Rolling Stock Programme (RSP).

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  Budget  allocation  and commensurate commissioning of projects. Average Annual Budget allocation for Infrastructure projects & safety works, falling  fully/ partly in State of Bihar, during 2014-19 has been enhanced to ₹ 3,061 crore per year from ₹ 1,132  crore  per  year  during  2009-14,  which  is  170%  more  than Average Annual Budget allocation during 2009-14. These allocations have been increased to ₹ 4,093  crore  in  Financial  Year  2019-20 (262%  more  than  the  Average  Annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14)  and ₹ 4,489 crore in Financial Year 2020-21 (297% more than the Average Annual Budget  allocation  of  2009-14).  For  Financial  Year  2021-22,  highest  ever budget outlay of ₹ 5,560 crore {Original Budget Outlay (BE) ₹ 5150 crore and additional  allotment ₹ 410  crore}  has  been  provided  for  these  projects, which  is  391%  more  than  the  Average  Annual  Budget  Outlay  of  2009-14 ( ₹ 1,132 crore per year).

During  2014-21,  968  Km  length  (317  Km  New  Lines,  345  Km  Gauge Conversion and 306 Km Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Bihar has been  commissioned  at  an  average  rate  of  138.29  Km  per  year,  which  is 117% more than the commissioning during 2009-14 (63.6 Km per year).

Completion of any Railway project/s depends on various factors like quick land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forestry  clearance  by  officials  of forest  department,  deposition  of  State  share  by  the  State  Government  in cost  sharing  projects,  shifting  of  infringing  utilities,  statutory  clearances from  various  authorities,  geological  and  topographical  conditions  of  area, law  and  order  situation  in  the  area  of  project/s  site,  number  of  working months in a year for particular project site due to climatic conditions, etc. All these factors affect the completion time of the project/s. Nevertheless, Railways are making all efforts to complete these projects at the earliest.

Railways have taken up various steps for effective and speedy implementation of rail projects which include (i) prioritisation of projects, (ii) substantial increase in allocation of funds, (iii) delegation of powers at field level, (iv) close monitoring of progress of project at various levels (v) regular follow up with State Governments and concerned authorities for expeditious land  acquisition,  forestry  and  Wildlife  clearances  and  for  resolving  other issues pertaining to projects.

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