Lok Sabha Question No. 5295 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-04-05
Subject: Cost Escalation Projects
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sumalatha Ambareesh, D.K. Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5295 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2023

## COST ESCALATION PROJECTS

5295. SHRIMATI SUMALATHA AMBAREESH: SHRI D.K. SURESH:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  are  a  number  of  railway  projects,  which  were announced but has not seen the light of the day;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, zone-wise;
- (c) whether the Government is aware that the cost of the project escalates if there is delay in implementation; and
- (d) if  so,  the  details  and  the  response  of  the  Government  in  this regard?

## 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. 5295 BY SHRI SHRIMATI SUMALATHA AMBAREESH  AND  SHRI  D.K.  SURESH  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK SABHA ON 05.04.2023 REGARDING COST ESCALATION PROJECTS

(a)  to  (d):  The  Railway  projects  are  surveyed/  sanctioned/executed Zonal  Railway  wise  and  not  State-wise  as  the  Railways'  projects may span across state boundaries. Railway projects are included in the Budget subject to requisite approvals. Sanctioning of projects is a continuous and ongoing process.

Zonal  Railway-wise  details  of  New  line,  Gauge  Conversion  and Doubling  projects  sanctioned  during  the  last  three  years  i.e.  FY 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 (upto 29th March, 2023) are as under:-

| Zonal Railway              |   No. of New Line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling projects sanctioned. |
|----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Central Railway            |                                                                    03 |
| Eastern Railway            |                                                                    01 |
| East Central Railway       |                                                                    06 |
| East Coast Railway         |                                                                    06 |
| Northern Railway           |                                                                    05 |
| North Central Railway      |                                                                    13 |
| North Eastern Railway      |                                                                    02 |
| Northeast Frontier Railway |                                                                    03 |
| North Western Railway      |                                                                    12 |
| Southern Railway           |                                                                    05 |
| South Central Railway      |                                                                    06 |
| South Eastern Railway      |                                                                    05 |
| South East Central Railway |                                                                    12 |
| South Western Railway      |                                                                    07 |
| Western Railway            |                                                                    21 |
| West Central Railway       |                                                                    02 |

As on 01.04.2022, across Indian Railways, 452 Railway Infrastructure  projects  (183  New  Line,  42  Gauge  Conversion  and 227 Doubling) of total length 49,323 Km, costing approx. ₹ 7.33 lakh crore are in different stages of planning/sanction/execution, out of which, 11,518 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure  of  approx. ₹ 2.35  lakh  crore  has  been  incurred  upto March, 2022.

Zone-wise  details  of  Railway  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).  With  above  constraints,  every  effort  is  being  made  to execute the project(s) expeditiously.

Various  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  speedy  sanction  and implementation of rail projects include (i) setting up of Gati Shakti units (ii) prioritisation of projects (iii) substantial increase in allocation of funds on priority projects (iv) delegation of powers at field level (v) close  monitoring  of  progress  of project at various levels,  and  (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. This has led to substantial increase in rate of commissioning since 2014.

The Average Annual Budget allocation for New  Line, Gauge Conversion  and  Doubling  Projects  across  Indian  Railways  during 2014-19 increased to ` 26,026 crore per year from ` 11,527 crore per year  during  2009-14  (126%  more  than  average  annual  budget allocation  during  2009-14).  The  Annual  Budget  allocation  for  these projects increased to ` 39,836 crore in Financial Year 2019-20 (246% more    than    Average    Annual    Budget    Allocation  during  2009-14), ` 43,626  crore    in  Financial  Year  2020-21  (278%  more  than  the Average Annual Budget allocation during 2009-14), ` 56,716 crore for Financial  year  2021-22  (392%  more  than  Average  Annual  Budget Allocation during 2009-14) and ` 67,001 crore in Financial Year 202223 (481% more than average annual budget allocation of 2009-14). For  Financial  Year  2023-24,  highest  ever  budget  outlay  of ` 67,199 crore has been allotted for these works, which is 483 % more than Average Annual Budget allocation of 2009-14 ( ` 11527 Crore/Year).

During  2014-22,  across  Indian  Railway,  20,628  km  sections  (3,970 km New Line, 5,507 km Gauge Conversion and 11,151 km Doubling) has  been  commissioned  at  an  average  of  2,579  km/year  which  is 70%  more  than  the  average  annual  commissioning  during  2009-14 (1,520  km/year).  During  the  FY  2022-23  (upto  Feb,  2023)  4,443  km sections (1,630 km New Line, 159 km Gauge Conversion and 2,654 km Doubling) has been commissioned.

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