Lok Sabha Question No. 2590 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-10
Subject: Railway Projects in Rajasthan
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Arjunlal Meena, P.P. Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2590 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2021

## RAILWAY PROJECTS IN RAJASTHAN

2590. SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA : SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the zone-wise details of Railway projects in Rajasthan that are forthcoming and pending as of now;
- (b) the reasons for pendency of such projects;
- (c)  the  budgetary  provisions  made  by  the  Government  in  this regard; and
- (d) the time by when the Bhilwara Memu Rail Coach Factory and Jaisalmer-Barmer  to  Kandla  port  rail  project  are  likely  to  be completed?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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.  2590  BY  SHRI  ARJUN  LAL  MEENA AND SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 10.03.2021 REGARDING RAILWAY PROJECTS IN RAJASTHAN

(a):  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned  Zonal  Railway-wise,  not State-wise,  as  Indian  Railways'  network  spans    across  various State boundaries. However, as on 01.04.2020, 30 projects (11 new lines,  05  gauge  conversion  and  14  doubling)  covering  a  total length of 5,173 km and costing ` 57,247 crore, falling fully/partly in the State of Rajasthan are in different stages of Planning/Sanction/Execution.

Rajasthan is covered by Northern Railway, Western Railway, North Western Railway, West Central Railway, and North Central Railway  Zones  of  Indian  Railways.  The  details  of  allotment  of funds  and  expenditure  project-wise  and  Zonal  Railway  wise  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)>Railway wise Works Machinery & Rolling Stock Programme.

(b):   Timely completion of any Railway project depends on various factors  like  quick  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest clearance by officials  of  forest  department,  shifting  of  infringing utilities, statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and  topographical  conditions  of  area,  law  and  order  situation  in the area of project site, number of working months in a year for particular  project  site  due  to  climatic  conditions,  priority  of projects,  etc.  and  all  these  factors  affect  the  completion  of  the project.

(c):  Average  Annual  Budget  allocation  for  infrastructure  projects and  safety  works,  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Rajasthan, during 2014-19 has been increased to ` 2,951 crore per year,  from ` 682 crore per year (during 2009-14). Thus, an increase of 333% over the average annual budget allocation of 2009-14 ( ` 682 crore per year).

Budget  allotment for infrastructure projects and  safety works,  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Rajasthan  for  financial year 2019-20 was ` 4686 crore, which is 587% more w.r.t. 2009-14. Budget allocation of ` 4582 crore has been provided for Financial Year 2020-21, which is 572% more with respect to average Budget outlay for 2009-14.

(d):  Coach  factories  are  set  up  keeping  in  view  the  overall requirement of Railways. With the increase in productivity of the existing coach factories over the past few years and the available production capacity, there is no requirement to set up additional coach production unit at Bhilwara, at present.

Jaisalmer  and  Barmer  are  already  connected  by  Broad Gauge  line  to  Kandla  Port.  However,  for  direct  connectivity, surveys  for  Jaisalmer  to  Barmer  and  Barmer  to  Bhabhar  were completed in 2012-13. As these projects were not viable financially  and  since  adequate  connectivity  already  exists,  the projects have not been taken up.

*****