Lok Sabha Question No. 215 (STARRED), answered on 2023-03-15
Subject: Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 215 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2023

## RISHIKESH-KARNAPRAYAG RAIL LINE

†*215.   DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK':

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a)  the  projects  completed  or  being  implemented  by  the  Railways  in Uttarakhand  since  the  year  2014  and  the  current  progress  of  the  said projects; (b) whether projects are being run under the Corporate Social Responsibility for the welfare of the farmers whose land was acquired for the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line;

(c) if so, the names of the developmental activities undertaken along with the funds allocated for the same; and

(d) the time limit set for completing the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line?

## 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 STARRED QUESTION  NO.  215  BY  DR.  RAMESH  POKHRIYAL  'NISHANK'  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  15.03.2023  REGARDING  RISHIKESHKARNAPRAYAG RAIL LINE.

- (a)  :  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned  and  executed  Zonal  Railway  wise and not State wise as Railway projects may  span across State boundaries.

As on 01.04.2022, 3 New Line projects covering total length of 216 Km costing ₹ 18,554 crore, falling fully/partly in the State of Uttarakhand are under different stages of planning/approval/execution, out of which 6 Km length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹ 5,933  crore  has been incurred upto March, 2022. These includes:

- i) Rishikesh-Karnaprayag (125 Km) New rail line costing ₹ 16,216.3 Crore.
2. ii) Deoband-Roorkee (27 Km) New rail line costing ₹
3. 791 Crore.
4. iii) Kichha-Khatima (63 Km) New rail line costing ₹ 1546.24 Crore

Railway Infrastructure Projects falling fully/partly in the State of Uttarakhand are covered under Northern Railway (NR) and North Eastern Railway (NER) Zones of Indian Railways.

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  Uttarakhand,  during  2014-19  has  been  enhanced  to ₹ 672 crore per  year  from ₹ 187 crore per year during 2009-14, which is 259% more than Average Annual Budget allocation during 2009-14. These allocations have been increased to ₹ 903 crore  in  Financial  Year  2019-20 (383%  more  than  the  Average  Annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14), ₹ 1780  crore  in  Financial  Year  2020-21  (852%  more  than  the  Average Annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14)  , ₹ 4573  crore  in  Financial  Year 2021-22 (2345% more than the Average Annual Budget allocation of 200914)  and ₹ 4,948  crore  in  Financial  Year  2022-23  (2546%  more  than  the Average Annual Budget allocation of 2009-14). For Financial Year 202324, highest ever Budget allocation of ₹ 5,004 crore has been proposed for these  projects,  which  is  2576%  more  than  the  Average  Annual  Budget allocation of 2009-14 ( ₹ 2043 crore per year).

During  2014-22,  69  Km  section  (6  Km  New  Lines,  36  Km  Gauge Conversion  and  27  Km  Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Uttarakhand have been commissioned at an average rate of 8.63 Km/year. Railway projects are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations etc. Rishikesh-Karanprayag new line project was sanctioned in budget 201011.  Anticipated cost of the project is ₹ 16,216 crore. Work on the entire project  has  been  taken  up.  So  far  an  expenditure  of ₹ 11,237 crore has been incurred till date.  Yog Nagri Rishikesh to Virbhadra (5.7 km) section has been commissioned in March, 2020.  Beyond km 6.0, the alignment is mostly in tunnels. Work at all tunnels and major bridges have been taken up. (b) and (c) Yes, Sir. Executing Agency RVNL  has taken up the developmental works of promoting Bee keeping enterprise and Conservation  of  natural  resources  and  maintaining  quality  of  soil  and water under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). ₹ 79.48 Lac has been allotted in financial year 2022-23. (d)  Completion  of  any  Railway  project  depends  on  various  factors  like cooperation  of  State  Governments  in  quick  land  acquisition,  forestry clearance by officials of forest department, shifting of infringing utilities, 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  conditions,  etc. All  these  factors  affect  the completion  time  of  the  project/s.  With  these  constraints,  Railways  are making all efforts to complete these projects at the earliest.

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