Lok Sabha Question No. 1322 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Ongoing/Pending Rail Projects in Jharkhand
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Pashupati Nath Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1322 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2022

## ONGOING/PENDING RAIL PROJECTS IN JHARKHAND

†1322. SHRI PASHUPATI NATH SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the current status of various ongoing/pending rail projects in Jharkhand;
- (b) the steps taken by the Railways to complete the said projects within the time frame fixed;
- (c) the number of such rail projects in Jharkhand, the survey of which has been conducted and approval has been given but the work has not yet started;
- (d) whether  any  time  limit  has  been  fixed  for  the  completion  of  these projects; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1322 BY SHRI PASHUPATI NATH SINGH TO BE ANSWERED IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  09.02.2022  REGARDING  ONGOING/PENDING  RAIL PROJECTS IN JHARKHAND

(a) to (e): 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.  However, as on  01.04.2021,  32  projects  (13  new  lines,  01  gauge  conversions  and  18 doublings), costing ₹ 42,671 crore, covering total length of 2,795 Km, falling fully/partly in the State of Jharkhand are in different stages of planning/approval/execution. Out of which 631 Km  length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 12,729 crore has been incurred upto March'21. These include:

-  13 new line projects covering total length of 1,430 km, costing ₹ 25,614 crore,  out  of  which,  398  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹ 6,807 crore has been incurred upto March'21.
-  01  gauge  conversion  project  covering  total  length  of  159  km,  costing ₹ 1,455 crore, out of which, 90 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 184 crore has been incurred upto March'21.
-  18 doubling projects covering total length of 1,206 km, costing ₹ 15,602 crore,  out  of  which,  143  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹ 5,738 crore has been incurred upto March'21.

Railway infrastructure projects in the State of Jharkhand are covered under East  Central  Railway  (ECR),  Eastern  Railway  (ER),  South  Eastern  Railway (SER)  and  South  East  Central  Railway  (SECR)  Zones  of  Indian  Railways. Zone  wise  details  of  projects  including  cost,  expenditure  and  outlay  are 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)> Pink Book (year)>Railways-wise Works, Machinery & Rolling Stock Programme (RSP).

Since 2014, there has been  substantial increase in Railway  Budget allocation and commensurate  commissioning. Average annual Budget allocation for infrastructure and safety works, falling fully/partly in State of Jharkhand during 2014-19, has been enhanced to ₹ 2,089 crore per year from ₹ 457  crore  per  year  during  2009-14,  which  is  357%  more  than  average annual budget outlay of 2009-14. Budget outlay for these projects has been increased  to ₹ 2,493  crore  for  financial  year  2019-20  (446%  more  than average annual outlay of 2009-14) and ₹ 3,221 crore for financial year 202021 (605% more than average annual budget outlay of 2009-14). For financial year  2021-22,  highest-ever  budget  outlay  of ₹ 4,182  crore  (Original  Budget Estimate  (BE) ₹ 4079  crore  and  Additional  outlay ₹ 103  crore)  has  been provided  for  these  projects,  which  is  815%  more  than  average  annual budget outlay of 2009-14.

During 2014-21, 863 Km sections (433 Km New Lines and 430 Km Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Jharkhand has been commissioned at an average  rate  of  123.29  Km/year,  which  is  115%  more  than  the  average annual commissioning during 2009-14 (57.4 Km/year).

Railways have taken up various steps for effective and speedy implementation of rail projects which include (i) prioritisation of projects, (ii) substantial increase in allocation of funds, (iii) delegation of powers at field level, (iv) close monitoring of progress of project at various levels (v) regular follow up with State Governments and concerned authorities for expeditious land  acquisition,  forestry  and  Wildlife  clearances  and  for  resolving  other issues pertaining to projects.

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  affect  the  completion  time  of  the  project/s.  As  such,  no firm  time-line  for  completion  of  the  project/s  can  be  given  at  this  stage. Nevertheless, Railways are making all efforts to complete these projects at the earliest.

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