Lok Sabha Question No. 295 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-03
Subject: Ongoing Projects in Hilly Regions
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Pushpendra Singh Chandel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 295 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2021

## ONGOING PROJECTS IN HILLY REGIONS

†295. SHRIMATI  MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH: SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to expedite the construction of railway  network  in  strategically  important  north-eastern frontier hilly regions;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  details  of  proposed  or  ongoing  projects  in  hilly  regions  of bordering states in north-east including Ladakh and Uttarakhand;
- (d) the time by which the above projects are likely to be completed; and
- (e) the  State-wise  details  of  the  funds  allocated  for  the  purpose during the last five years?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 295 BY SHRIMATI MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH  AND  SHRI  KUNWAR  PUSHPENDRA  SINGH  CHANDEL  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  03.02.2021  REGARDING  ONGOING PROJECTS IN HILLY REGIONS

(a) to (c):   Railway  Projects  are  sanctioned  Zonal  Railway-wise  not Region-wise  /  State-wise  as  Indian  Railways'  network  spans  across various State boundaries.  Railway projects are sanctioned / taken up on  the  basis  of  remunerativeness,  last  mile  connectivity,  missing links  and  alternate  routes,  augmentation  of  congested  /  saturated lines, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon throwforward of ongoing projects and overall availability of funds.

However,  as  on  01.04.2020,  19  projects  (13  New  Lines  and  6 Doubling)  costing ` 75,795  crore  for  2,008  km  length  falling  fully  / partly in Assam and North Eastern Region are under different stage of planning/ approval/ execution.   These include:

- (i) 13 New line projects of total length 1178 km costing ` 57,774 crore, out of which 253 km length has been commissioned and an  expenditure  of ` 20,157  crore  have  been  incurred  upto March, 2020.
- (ii) 06  Doubling  Projects  of  total  length  830  km,  costing ` 18,021 crore, out of which 9 km doubling has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 1861  crore  has  been  incurred upto March, 2020.

Indian Railways is focusing on expediting the Railway infrastructure in north-eastern frontier hilly region.

04 Railway Projects (03 New lines and 01 Doubling) of total length 23 km  costing ` 18,901  crore  falling  fully  /  partly  in  the  State  of Uttarakhand are under different stage of planning/ approval/ execution.   These include:

- (i) 03  New  line  projects  of  total  length  216  km  costing ` 18,554 crore, out of which 6 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure  of ` 2,275  crore  has  been  incurred  upto  March, 2020.
- (ii) 01  Doubling  project  of  27  km  length  costing ` 347  crore  has been commissioned recently in January, 2021.

Presently, there is no ongoing Railway project falling fully / partly in

Ladakh.

- (d): The  completion  of  any  Railway  project  depends  on  various factors  like  quick  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest clearance  by  officials  of  forest  department,  shifting  of  infringing utilities  (both  underground  and  over  ground),  statutory  clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area of project site, number of working months in a year for particular project site due to climatic considerations  etc.    All  these  factors  vary  from  project  to  project and  site  to  site  which  affect  the  completion  time  and  cost  of  the project,  which  is  finally  worked  out  at  the  completion  stage.    As such, confirmed completion time of projects cannot be ascertained at this stage; nevertheless, every effort is being made to commission the projects expeditiously.

(e): Funds are not allocated State-wise.  However, Zone-wise detail of projects including their cost, expenditure and Budget outlays are made  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)  >Railway  wise  Works  Machinery  &  Rolling  Stock Programme.

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