Lok Sabha Question No. 557 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Policy for Uniform Gauge
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar, Diya Kumari, Sunil Kumar Singh, Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi

557.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 557 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2022

## POLICY FOR UNIFORM GAUGE

SHRI RANJEETSINGH HINDURAO NAIK NIMBALKAR:

MS. DIYA KUMARI:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH: SHRI SHIVAKUMAR C. UDASI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the policy for Uniform Gauge for the rail network of the country;
- (b) the  details  of  phases  of  work  undertaken  under  this  policy since its inception; and
- (c) the  details  of  railway  lines  where  the  conversion  work  is pending along with the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 557 BY SHRI RANJEETSINGH HINDURAO  NAIK  NIMBALKAR,  MS.  DIYA  KUMARI,  SHRI  SUNIL KUMAR SINGH AND SHRI SHIVAKUMAR C. UDASI TO BE ANSWERED IN  LOK SABHA ON 20.07.2022 REGARDING POLICY FOR UNIFORM GAUGE

(a) to (c):   Policy for Project Uni-gauge taken up in 1992 to convert selected routes for conversion into broad gauge is as under:

- (i) To  take  up  conversion  of  lines  to  develop  alternative  Broad Gauge(BG) routes obviating the need for Doubling of existing Broad Gauge lines on these routes.
- (ii) To  establish  BG  connection  to  ports,  industrial  centers  and locations having potential for growth.
- (iii)   To take up conversion of lines required on strategic considerations.
- (iv) To minimize trans shipment and to improve wagon turn around by avoiding delays at trans shipment points.
- (v) To carry out the conversion of lines as per the above policy at least cost yet providing a standard of service not lower than what the rail users were getting.

As on 01.04.1992, Indian Railways had a network of 27,349 Km of Meter Gauge (MG)/ Narrow Gauge (NG) railway lines. 24,504 km of MG/NG  railway  lines  have  been  converted  into  Broad  Gauge  upto 31.03.2022.

As  on  01.04.2022  across  Indian  Railways,  42  Gauge  Conversion projects of 5,667 Km length, costing ` 50,250 crore,  are in different stages  of  planning/sanction/execution,  out  of  which    3,488  Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 19,235 crore has been incurred upto March, 2022.

The  completion  of  any  Railway  project(s)  depends  on  various factors  like  quick  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest clearance by officials of forest department, deposition of cost share by 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. and all these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project(s), which is finally worked out at the completion stage. As such the confirmed time frame for completion of projects cannot be ascertained at this stage. However, Railways is making all the efforts for expeditious completion of projects.

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