Lok Sabha Question No. 1165 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Sanctioned Railway Projects
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ajay Kumar Mandal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1165 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2022

## SANCTIONED RAILWAY PROJECTS

†1165. SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of railway projects sanctioned since 2019 till date in Bhagalpur district under Sonpur Rail Division;
- (b) whether  the  work  on  all  the  projects  has  been  completed,  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the time by which it is likely to be completed;
- (c) whether the railway projects are pending in the Bhagalpur district under Malda Rail Division and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether any guideline has been laid down by the Government necessitating  the  Member  of  Parliament  of  the  area  concerned  to  be apprised  by  the  Railways,  about  the  activities  undertaken  by  the Railways and if so, the details thereof?

## 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. 1165 BY SHRI AJAY KUMAR MANDAL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 09.02.2022 REGARDING SANCTIONED RAILWAY PROJECTS

(a) to (c): Railway Infrastructure projects are not sanctioned State-wise or District-wise.  Projects are sanctioned and executed Zonal Railway wise as Indian Railways' projects may span across State boundaries.

At present, work has been taken up on 01 ongoing Railway project namely Pirpainti-Jasidih  new  line  falling  fully/partly  in  Bhagalpur  District  under Malda Division.

As on 01.04.2021, 57 projects (35 new lines, 05 gauge conversions and 17 doublings),  of  total  length  of  5,267  Km  costing ₹ 76,137  crore,  falling fully/partly in the State of Bihar including those of Bhagalpur district are in different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which  1,348  Km length  has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ₹ 25,380  crore  has been incurred upto March, 2021. These include:

-  35 new line projects covering a total length of 2,962 Km, costing ₹ 53,773 crore,  out  of  which,  497  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹ 15,710 crore has been incurred upto March'21.
-  5 gauge conversion projects covering a total length of 1,018 Km, costing ₹ 6,188 crore, out of which, 780 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 4,516 crore has been incurred upto March'21.
-  17 doubling projects covering a total length of 1,287 Km, costing ₹ 16,176 crore,  out  of  which,  71  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹ 5,154 crore has been incurred upto March'21.

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 Bihar, during 2014-19 has been enhanced to ₹ 3,061 crore per year from ₹ 1,132  crore  per  year  during  2009-14,  which  is  170%  more  than Average Annual Budget allocation during 2009-14. These allocations have been increased to ₹ 4,093  crore  in  Financial  Year  2019-20 (262%  more  than  the  Average  Annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14)  and ₹ 4,489 crore in Financial Year 2020-21 (297% more than the Average Annual Budget  allocation  of  2009-14).  For  Financial  Year  2021-22,  highest  ever budget outlay of ₹ 5,560 crore {Original Budget Outlay (BE) ₹ 5150 crore and additional  allotment ₹ 410  crore}  has  been  provided  for  these  projects, which  is  391%  more  than  the  Average  Annual  Budget  Outlay  of  2009-14 ( ₹ 1,132 crore per year).

During  2014-21,  968  Km  length  (317  Km  New  Lines,  345  Km  Gauge Conversion and 306 Km Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Bihar has been  commissioned  at  an  average  rate  of  138.29  Km  per  year,  which  is 117% more than the commissioning during 2009-14 (63.6 Km per year).

Completion of any Railway project/s depends on various factors like quick land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forestry  clearance  by  officials  of forest  department,  deposition  of  State  share  by  the  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. All these factors vary from site to site and project to project and affect the completion  time  and  cost  of  the  project/s.  Nevertheless,  Railways  are making all  efforts  to  complete  these  projects  at  the  earliest.  As  such,  no firm time-line can be given at this stage for completion of these projects.

(d):  Guidelines  for  inviting  local  Members  of  Parliament  (MPs)/Members  of Legislative  Assembly (MLAs) to Railway functions, holding of at least two meetings  in  a  year  with  MPs  to  be  attended  by  the  General  Manager  and other concerned senior officers of the Zone/Division to sort out solutions to local problems and informing local MPs in advance wherever their demands for  new  train  service/extension  of  service/passenger amenities  are  agreed upon/implemented by Railways, have been issued to Railways from time to time.

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