Lok Sabha Question No. 3598 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: Laying Rail Lines in Bihar
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Janardan Singh Sigriwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3598 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2023

## LAYING RAIL LINES IN BIHAR

3598.  SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  lay  railway  lines  in  various parts in Bihar;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  Division  and  district-wise  along  with  the current status thereof;
- (c) the details of funds allocated to Bihar for the purpose;
- (d) whether all these projects are running behind the targeted time and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (e)  the  corrective  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  complete these projects in a time bound manner?

## 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.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3598 BY SHRI JANARDAN  SINGH SIGRIWAL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 22.03.2023 REGARDING LAYING RAIL LINES IN BIHAR

(a) to (e): Railway projects are sanctioned and executed Zonal Railway wise and not Division wise/District wise/State wise as Railway projects may  span  across  Division/District/State  boundaries.  Railway  projects are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon throwforward of ongoing projects, overall availability of funds and competing demands.

However, as on 01.04.2022, 52 Railway Infrastructure projects (32 new lines, 04 gauge conversions and 16 doublings), costing ₹ 66,597 crore, covering  total  length  of  5,004  Km  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Bihar  are  in  different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of which 1,240 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 21,038 crore has been incurred upto March, 2022. These include:-

-  32 New Line Projects, covering a length of 2,875 km at a cost of ₹ 44,692 crore, out of which 435 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 9,775 crore have been incurred upto March, 2022.
-  4 Gauge Conversion Projects, covering a length of 849 km at a cost of ₹ 5,591 crore, out of which 682 Km length has been commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ₹ 4,219  crore  have  been incurred upto March, 2022.
-  16  Doubling  Projects,  covering  a  length  of  1,280  km  at  a  cost  of ₹ 16,314 crore, out of which 122 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 7,044 crore have been incurred upto March, 2022.

Railway Infrastructure Projects falling fully/partly in the State of Bihar are covered under East Central Railway (ECR), Eastern Railway (ER), North  Eastern  Railway  (NER)  and  Northeast  Frontier  Railway  (NFR) Zones  of  Indian  Railways.  Zonal  Railway  wise  details  of  project 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 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. Annual Budget allocation for these projects have been increased to ₹ 4,093 crore in Financial Year 2019-20 (262%  more  than  the  Average  Annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14), ₹ 4,489 crore in Financial Year 2020-21 (297% more than the Average Annual  Budget  allocation  of  2009-14), ₹ 5,560  crore  in  Financial  Year 2021-22 (391% more than the Average Annual Budget Outlay of 200914) and ₹ 6,606 crore in Financial Year 2022-23 (484% more than the Average Annual Budget Outlay of 2009-14). For Financial Year 2023-24, highest  ever  Budget  outlay  of ₹ 8,505  crore  has  been  proposed  for these projects, which is 651% more than the Average Annual Budget Outlay of 2009-14 ( ₹ 1,132 crore per year).

During 2014-22, 1096 Km length (317 Km New Lines, 425 Km Gauge Conversion  and  354  Km  Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Bihar have been commissioned at an average rate 137 Km/year, which is 115% more than the commissioning during 2009-14 (63.6 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. Various steps being taken by the Government for effective and speedy implementation  of  rail  projects  include  (i)  setting  up  of  Gati  Shakti Directorate in the Ministry and Gati Shakti units in field, (ii) prioritisation  of  projects,  (iii)  substantial  increase  in  allocation  of funds, (iv) delegation of powers at field level,  (v) close monitoring of progress of project at various levels (vi) 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.

*****