Lok Sabha Question No. 1143 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-08
Subject: Vacant Railway Land in Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dinesh Lal "Nirahua" Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1143

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2023

## VACANT RAILWAY LAND IN UTTAR PRADESH

†1143. SHRI DINESH LAL YADAV 'NIRAHUA':

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether large area of land belonging to Railways are lying unused across the country including Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details thereof zone-wise;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to offer the said land on lease to the  persons  belonging  to  Scheduled  Castes/Scheduled  Tribes  and those living below poverty line;
- (d) the  details  of  other  purposes  by  which  this  unused  land  may  be made usable to collect revenue as well as to provide benefits to the weaker sections;
- (e)     whether the Government has received any request in this regard;
- (f)      if so, the details thereof; and
- (g)      the  action  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (g)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  1143  BY  SHRI  DINESH  LAL  YADAV 'NIRAHUA'  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  08.02.2023 REGARDING VACANT RAILWAY LAND IN UTTAR PRADESH

(a)  &  (b):  Out  of  total  land  of  4.86  lakh  hectares(approximately), Indian  Railways  has  about  0.62  lakh  hectares(approximately)  of vacant land which includes Uttar Pradesh. This is mostly in the form of  narrow  strips  along  track.  Zone-wise  details  of  vacant  Railway land are given below:-

## (Figures in Hectares)

| Zonal Railway      |   Vacant Land 31.03.2022 | as   | on   |
|--------------------|--------------------------|------|------|
| Central            |                  1670.2  |      |      |
| Eastern            |                  2014.23 |      |      |
| East Central       |                  4418.67 |      |      |
| East Coast         |                  2221.22 |      |      |
| Northern           |                 11043.7  |      |      |
| North Central      |                   993.12 |      |      |
| North Eastern      |                  5521.01 |      |      |
| Northeast Frontier |                 13305.9  |      |      |
| North Western      |                  1298.62 |      |      |
| Southern           |                  2493.79 |      |      |
| South Central      |                   924.97 |      |      |
| South Eastern      |                   306.22 |      |      |
| Southeast Central  |                  3419.16 |      |      |

| South Western    |   4888.69 |
|------------------|-----------|
| Western          |   6348.61 |
| West Central     |    629.5  |
| Metro            |      0.11 |
| Production Units |    570.42 |
| Total            |  62068.2  |

(c): As per Master Circular on 'Policy for Management of Railway land' issued  on  4.10.2022,  the  lease/license  of  Railway  land  shall  not  be granted to private individuals not connected with Railway working for setting up  of shops,  commercial  offices,  vending  stalls, clinics, schools(other than kendriya vidyalayas) and tehbazari.

(d)  to  (g):  A  Master  Circular  on  'Policy  for  Management  of  Railway land' which  includes  provisions  for leasing of Railway  land  for activities  connected  with  Railway  working,  public infrastructure, Government  Departments,  Hospitals,  Kendriya  Vidyalayas,  etc.  has been issued. Railway land is leased to new Cargo related projects/facilities  and  renewable  energy,  water  treatment/recycling, sewage treatment  plants,  etc.  for  exclusive  use  of  the  Railways,  by transparent methods of competitive bidding. For critical infrastructure/public  service  utilities  projects,  Railway  land  is  also leased on the specific requirement of concerned Ministries/Department/Agencies.  Surplus  vacant  land  is  entrusted  to Rail Land Development Authority(RLDA) for commercial development. Besides, unused vacant land is utilized for the purpose of plantation and  legacy  scheme  like  'Grow  More  Food  Scheme'  to  Railway employees to prevent encroachment of Railway land.

Requests  are  received  regularly  from  State  Govt./other  Govt. Departments  for  leasing  of  vacant  railway  land  for  their  use.  These requests are considered as per the policy for Management of Railway Land.

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