Lok Sabha Question No. 3664 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: Doubling/Electrification of Railway Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Kanakmal Katara

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3664 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2023

## DOUBLING/ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY TRACKS

†3664. SHRI KANAKMAL KATARA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has not attained the target of land development and modernization of facilities fixed in Rajasthan;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the reasons for slow progress in achieving the target of doubling and electrification of railway tracks; and
- (d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Railways for improving railway infrastructure rapidly?

## 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.3664  BY SHRI  KANAKMAL KATARA TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 22.03.2023 REGARDING DOUBLING/ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY TRACKS.

- (a)  &  (b):  The  development  of  railway  land  and  modernization  of facilities on Indian Railways is an ongoing process. State wise targets of land and modernization of facilities are not maintained.

(c):  Railway  projects  are  not  sanctioned  State-wise,  but  sanctioned Zone-wise. Railway projects may span across State boundaries. As on 01.04.2022,  12  Doubling  Projects  covering  total  length  of  2,522  km, costing ₹ 29,639 crore falling fully/partly in the State of Rajasthan are in different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which  434  km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 4,860 crore has been  incurred  upto  March,  2022.  During  2009-14,  62  km  Doubling sections falling fully/partly in Rajasthan have been commissioned at an average  rate  of  12.4  km  per  year.  During  2014-22,  1375  km  doubling sections falling fully/partly in Rajasthan have been commissioned at an average  rate  of  171.88  km  per  year,  which  is  1286.13%  more  than commissioning during 2009-14(12.4 Km/Yr.)

As on 01.04.2022, across Indian Railways 227 doubling projects covering total length of 22,719 km, costing approx. ₹ 2.83 lakh crore are in  different  stages  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which  5,199 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of approx. ₹ 1.02 lakh  crore  has  been  incurred  upto  March,  2022.  During  2009-14,  1875 km doubling have been commissioned at an average rate of 375 km per year.  These  commissioning  during  2014-22,  have  increased  to  11,151 km sections  at  an  average  rate  of  1394  km  per  year,  which  is  272% more than commissioning during 2009-14 (375 Km/Yr.)

Significant  progress  has  been  achieved  in  Electrification  of  Railway track during last eight years. Broad Gauge (BG) routes of 30,446 Route Kilometer (RKM) on Indian Railways have been electrified during 201422  against  electrification  of  4698  RKM  during  corresponding  period 2006-2014 thereby 548% improvement.

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.  With  above constraints, every  effort is  being  made  to  execute  the  project/s expeditiously. (d):  Various  steps  taken  by  Indian  Railways  for  effective  and  speedy implementation of rail projects include (i) setting up of Gati Shakti  Directorate  in  Ministry  of  Railways  &  Gati  Shakti  Units  in divisions (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.

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