Lok Sabha Question No. 2572 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-04
Subject: Ongoing/pending Railway Projects
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Poonam (Mahajan) Vajendla Rao, Bhagwant Mann, Queen Oja, Jual Oram, S.R. Parthiban, Badruddin Ajmal, P. Ravindhranath

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2572 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2021

## ONGOING/PENDING RAILWAY PROJECTS

## 2572.    SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN:

SHRI BHAGWANT MANN:

SHRIMATI QUEEN OJA:

SHRI JUAL ORAM:

SHRI PARTHIBAN S.R.:

SHRI M. BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

SHRI P RAVINDHRANATH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  current  status  of  ongoing  and  pending  railway  projects  in  the country including Tamil Nadu, Assam and Punjab, State/Zone-wise;
- (b) whether many ongoing railway projects are getting delayed due to which their costs are escalating drastically;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the project, State and Zone-wise details of estimated amounts for the completion of these projects and the details of amount spent on these projects till date?

## 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.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2572  BY  SHRIMATI  POONAM  MAHAJAN, SHRI  BHAGWANT  MANN,  SHRIMATI  QUEEN  OJA,  SHRI  JUAL  ORAM, SHRI  PARTHIBAN  S.R.,  SHRI  M.  BADRUDDIN  AJMAL  AND  SHRI  P RAVINDHRANATH  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  04.08.2021 REGARDING ONGOING/PENDING RAILWAY PROJECTS (a) to (d):  The Railway projects are sanctioned Zonal Railway wise and not  State  wise  as  the  Indian  Railways'  network  spans  across  various State boundaries. As on 01.04.2021, 484 Railway projects of 51,165 Km 7.53 lakh crore across Indian Railways including the States of Tamil Nadu, Assam and Punjab are in different stages of planning/sanction/execution,  out  of  which  10,638  Km  length  has  been 2.14 lakh crore has been incurred length, costing approx. ` commissioned and an expenditure of ` upto March, 2021.

The  average  annual  Budget  allocation  in  the  Indian  Railways  for  New Line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling works during 2014-19 has increased to ` 26,026 crore per year from ` 11,527 crore per year during 2009-14,  which  is  126%    more  than  average  annual  budget  outlay  of 2009-14.  The  Annual  budget  allocation  for  these  projects  for  Financial Year  2020-21  was ` 43,626  crore  which  is  278%  more  than  average annual  budget  outlay  of  2009-14.  For  Financial  year  2021-22,  highestever budget outlay of ` 52,498 crore { ` 45,465 crore (Budget Estimate) and additional allocation of ` 7,033 crore} has been provided for these works, which  is  355%  more  with  respect  to  average  annual  budget  outlay  of 2009-14.

During  2009-14,  7,599  km  length  (1727  km  New  Line,  3997  km  Gauge Conversion and 1875 km Doubling) was commissioned at an average of 1520  km/year.  During  2014-19,  13,124  km  length  (3035  km  New  Line, 3,993 km Gauge Conversion and 6,096 km Doubling) has been commissioned across the Indian Railways' network  which  is  73%  more

than  the  commissioning  during  2009-14  (7,599  km).  During  2019-20, 2,226 km length (360 km New Line, 408 km Gauge Conversion and 1458 km Doubling) has been commissioned which is 46% more than average annual  commissioning  during  2009-14  (1,520  km/year).  During  2020-21, 2,370 km length (286 km New Line, 470 km Gauge Conversion and 1614 km Doubling) has been commissioned which is 56% more than average annual commissioning during 2009-14 (1,520 km/year).

## Tamil Nadu

As on 01.04.2021, 25 Projects (9 New Lines, 4 Gauge conversion and 12 Doubling) of 3,077 Km length costing ` 28,307 crore falling fully/partly in Tamil  Nadu  are  under  different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution, out of which 850 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 6,846 crore has been incurred upto March 21.

Average  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  projects  &  safety  works, falling  fully/  partly  in  State  of  Tamil  Nadu,  during  2014-19  has  been enhanced to ` 1,979 crore per year from ` 879 crore per year (during 200914). which is 125% more than average annual budget outlay of 2009-14 and  budget  outlay  of ` 2,812  crore  was  provided  for  these  projects  for financial year 2020-21 which is 220% more than average annual budget outlay of  2009-14.    For  financial  year  2021-22,  budget  outlay  of ` 2,972 crore  has  been  provided  for  these  works,  which  is  238%  more  with respect to average annual budget outlay of 2009-14.

During 2014-21, 996 km projects (404 km of Gauge Conversion and 592 km of Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu  have been commissioned at an average rate 142.29 km per year.

## Punjab

As on 01.04.2021, 15 Projects (6 New Lines and 9 Doubling) of 1,781 Km length  costing ` 25,301  crore  falling  fully / partly  in  Punjab  are  under …P/3

different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which  316  Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 3,827 crore has been incurred upto March 21.

Average  annual  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  and  safety  works, falling fully/ partly in State of Punjab, during 2014-19 has been enhanced to ` 1,004 crore per year from ` 225 crore per year during 2009-14, which is 346% more than average annual budget outlay of 2009-14 and budget outlay of ` 1,565 crore was provided for these projects for financial year 2020-21 which is 596% more than average annual budget outlay of 200914.  For financial year 2021-22, budget outlay of ` 2,262 crore has been provided  for  these  works,  which  is  highest  ever  and  905%  more  with respect to average annual budget outlay of 2009-14.

During 2014-21, 114 km Doubling projects falling fully/partly in the State of Punjab has been commissioned at an average rate 16.29 km per year.

## Assam

As on 01.04.2021, 14 Projects (08 New Lines and 06 Doubling) of  1,433 km length costing ` 43,515 crore falling fully/partly  in  Assam are under different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which  310  Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 9,518 crore has been incurred upto March 21.

Average  annual  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  and  safety  works, falling  fully/  partly  in  Assam  and  North  Eastern  Region,  during  2014-19 has been enhanced to ` 5,531 crore per year from ` 2,122 crore per year during 2009-14, which is 161% more than average annual budget outlay of  2009-14  and  budget  outlay  of ` 4,669  crore  was  provided  for  these projects for financial year  2020-21  which  is  120%  more  than  average

annual  budget  outlay  of  2009-14.    For  financial  year  2021-22,  budget outlay of ` 6,913 crore has been provided for these works, which is 226% more with respect to average annual budget outlay of 2009-14.

During 2014-21, 1356 km projects (270 km of New Line, 972 km of Gauge Conversion  and  114  km  of  Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  Assam  and North  Eastern  Region  have  been  commissioned  at  an  average  rate 193.71  km  per  year,  which  is  94%  more  than  average  commissioning during 2009-14 (66.6 km/year).

The  details    of  all  ongoing  projects  including  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 (RSP).

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, priority of 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.  However,  Railways  is  making  all  the  efforts  for expeditious completion of projects.

*****