Lok Sabha Question No. 3489 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: Doubling of Railway Tracks in Maharashtra
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Amol Ramsing Kolhe

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3489 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2023

## DOUBLING OF RAILWAY TRACKS IN MAHARASHTRA

## 3489. DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the railway projects relating to doubling of railway tracks in Maharashtra have been completed;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons for the delay;
- (c) whether  the  Government  intends  to  take  up  new  projects  of doubling of tracks in Maharashtra and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the  funds  released  and  utilized  for  doubling  of  rail  tracks  in Maharashtra during the last three years and the current year?

## 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. 3489 BY DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 22.03.2023 REGARDING  DOUBLING OF RAILWAY TRACKS IN MAHARASHTRA

(a) to (d): Railway projects are sanctioned Zonal Railway-wise and not State-wise as Indian Railways' projects may span across State boundaries.  However,  as  on  01.04.2022,  16  Doubling  projects  covering total length of 3,521 km at a cost of ₹34,658 crore falling fully/ partly in the  State  of  Maharashtra  are  in  different  stages  of  planning/  approval/ execution, out of which 782 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹13,809 crore has been incurred upto March 2022.

Completion  of  Railway  project/s  depends  on  various  factors  like quick land acquisition by State Government, forest 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/s  site,  number  of working  months  in  a  year  for  particular  project  site  due  to  climatic conditions etc. and all these factors affect the completion time of the project/s.  With above constraints, every effort is being made to execute the project/s expeditiously.

Railway  infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Maharashtra  are  covered  in  Central  Railway,  South  Central  Railway, South  East  Central  Railway,  South  Western  Railway  and  Western Railway  Zones  of  Indian  Railways.  Zone-wise  and  Year-wise  details  of railway projects including their cost, expenditure and outlay 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)  >Rail Budget/Pink  Book  (Year)>  Railway-wise  Works,  Machinery  and  Rolling Stock Programme.

Further, taking up of doubling of railway tracks on Indian Railways is an ongoing  process  subject  to operational feasibility,  resource availability, traffic justification etc.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in fund allocation for infrastructure and safety work projects and commensurate commissioning  of  projects  in  Indian  Railways.  Average  annual  Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/partly in  the  State  of  Maharashtra,  during  2014-19  has  been  enhanced  to ₹4,801 crore per year from ₹1,171 crore per year during 2009-14, which is  310%  more  than  average  annual  Budget  allocation  during  2009-14. Annual  budget  allocations  on  these  projects  have  been  increased  to ₹7,281 crore in Financial Year 2019-20 (522% more than average annual Budget  allocation  of  2009-14),  ₹6,700  crore  in  Financial  Year  2020-21 (472%  more  than  the  average  annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14), ₹8,547  crore  in  Financial  Year  2021-22  (630%  more  than  the  average annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14)  and  ₹11,903  crore  in    Financial Year 2022-23 (916% more than the average annual Budget allocation of 2009-14). For Financial Year 2023-24, highest ever budget allocation of ₹13,539  crore  has  been  proposed  for  these  projects,  which  is  1056% more than the average annual Budget allocation of 2009-14.

During 2014-22, 1141 Km sections (118 Km of New line, 136 km of Gauge  Conversion  and  887  Km  of  Doubling),  falling  fully/partly  in  the State  of  Maharashtra,  have  been  commissioned  at  an  average  rate  of 142.63  Km  per  year  which  is  144%  more  than  commissioning  during 2009-14 (58.4km/year).

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