Lok Sabha Question No. 624 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-01
Subject: Rain Water Drainage System
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.624

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2021

## RAIN WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM

## †624. SHRI VIVEK NARAYAN SHEJWALKAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether due to lack of proper arrangement of rain water drainage system and light  in  the  Railway  Under  Bridge  (RUB),  people  have  to face difficulty in commuting and traffic is also disrupted;
- (b) the number of Railway Under Bridges (RUBs) under North Central Railways  and  out  of  them  the  number  of  under  bridges  with  proper arrangement  of  rain  water  drainage  system  and  light  along  with  the number of (RUBs) that are deprived of this facility; and
- (c) the time by when the said arrangement is likely to be made in the said (RUBs)?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a):  Railways  undertook  the  construction  of  Road  under  Bridges (RUBs)/ Subways as a viable techno-economic solution to the problem of road users to compulsorily wait at Level Crossings (LCs) as well as affecting their safety while crossing the Railways tracks. The responsibility of road maintenance, drainage arrangements and light in the RUB/ Subway was initially given to State Government due to their presence in such isolated locations. However, there were complaints

of  inadequate  drainage.  Therefore,  in  2018,  all  Zonal  Railways  were instructed to take up this responsibility of road maintenance, drainage arrangements & lighting etc. within Railway portion. Railway is accordingly taking action to address these problems. (b): Number of RUBs in North Central Railway is 675. Out of these 675 RUBs, adequate drainage arrangements have been done in 648 RUBs. Every RUB is unique and depends upon features such as railway tracks embankment  height,  ground  water  table,  type  of  soil  and  terrain around it and type of construction adopted for its construction etc. Some RUBs, having adequate bank height do not need any elaborate Rain  water  drainage  system  and  serve  well  with  natural  drainage arrangements.  However,  bank  height  in  most  of  the  RUBs  in  North Central Railway is such that ground level is higher than the bottom of road level. Efforts have been made to provide cover sheds at all such locations. Feasibility of provision of light is also under examination by Railways. The work of providing sheds and other required drainage works at the RUBs is in progress at 27 RUBs. However, adequate pumping arrangements have been done at all such locations where water logging is experienced. (c): In new construction of RUB/ Subways, provision of proper drainage arrangements are done along with construction of the RUBs.

Sometimes,  due  to  developments  in  adjoining  area,  RUBs  which  are newly constructed experience water-logging in the next monsoon and then  adequate  arrangements  are  done  immediately    after  identifying the reasons of water-logging at specific location. *****