Lok Sabha Question No. 2490 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-15
Subject: Chatra-Gaya Rail Line Project
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sunil Kumar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2490 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2023

## CHATRA - GAYA RAIL LINE PROJECT

†2490. SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is any proposal for laying of railway line from Chatra to Gaya;
- (b) if so, the budget provision made for Chatra-Gaya rail line project in the current year's budget;
- (c) the details of funds spent so far on the said rail line; and
- (d) the time by which the said project is likely to be completed?

## 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. 2490 BY SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 15.03.2023 REGARDING CHATRA -

GAYA RAIL LINE PROJECT (a)  to  (d):  Yes,  Sir.  Railways  have  taken  up  construction  of  ChatraGaya  (99.44  Km)  new  rail  line  project.  This  project  was  included  in Pink Book in the year 2008-09. Latest anticipated cost of this project is ₹ 4,543 crore. So far, expenditure of ₹ 15.58 Cr. have been incurred upto  March,  2022.  Land  acquisition  has  been  initiated  by  Railways through the State Govt. Earlier, execution of project had been kept in abeyance as land acquisition could not be completed. Now, in view of increase in coal traffic arising out of various mines in that area having potential of loading, Gaya-Chatra new line project has been considered for execution on priority. To make optimum utilization of this rail line a Final Location Survey for Tori-Chatra-Kastha/Paraiya (near Gaya) New Line section has also been taken up. 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 the 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), ₹ 3,221 crore for financial year 2020-21 (605% more than average annual budget outlay of  2009-14), ₹ 4,182 crore for financial year 2021-22 (815% more than average  annual  budget  outlay  of  2009-14)  and ₹ 5,058  crore  for financial year 2022-23 (1007% more than average annual budget outlay of  2009-14).  Further,  for  financial  year  2023-24,  highest-ever  budget outlay of ₹ 5,271 crore has been proposed for these projects, which is 1053% more than average annual budget outlay of 2009-14. During  2014-22,  911  Km  sections  (433  Km  New  Lines  and  478  Km Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Jharkhand  have  been commissioned at an average rate of 113.88 Km/year, which is 98.4% more  than  the  average  annual  commissioning  during  2009-14  (57.4 Km/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 and all these factors affect the  completion  time  of  the  project/s.  With  above  constraints,  every effort is being made to complete these projects at the earliest. *****