Lok Sabha Question No. 85 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-02
Subject: Sevoke-Rangpo-Rail Project
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 85 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2022

## SEVOKE - RANGPO RAIL PROJECT

85. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the total estimated cost of Sevoke  - Rangpo Rail Project and the estimated date of completion of the project;
- (b) the  details  of  the  steps  taken/  intends  to  be  undertaken  by  the Ministry  to  minimise  long  term  environmental  impacts  of  the project;
- (c) whether the Railways is aware that a large number of people living in  villages  impacted  by  the  Sevoke  -  Rangpo  are  seeking  fair compensation from the Railways; and
- (d) if so, the details of the compensation paid to the households and families impacted 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. 85 BY SHRI RAJU BISTA TO BE ANSWERED IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  02.02.2022  REGARDING  SEVOKE  -  RANGPO  RAIL PROJECT

(a) and (b):       Total  estimated  cost  of  Sivok  -  Rangpo  new  railway  line project is ` 8,153.22 crore. Railway has paid due compensation to Forest Department for forest land diverted for construction of railway line.

For the infrastructure project like Sivok - Rangpo new broad gauge line project which is mainly being constructed through tunnels, thereby, damage to environment is negligible. However, Net Present Value (NPV) and  Compensatory  Afforestation  (CA)  amount  has  been  paid  by  the Railways  for  the  forest  land  diverted  for  the  project  after  following process of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

Apart from NPV and CA, cost of compensation amounting to ` 235 crore has also been paid by Railways ( ` 189 crore for Wildlife Conservation Plan and ` 46 crore for Soil Moisture Conservation Plan).

The completion of any Railway project depends on various factors like  quick  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest  clearance  by officials  of  forest  department,  priority  of  project,  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  considerations  etc.  All  these  factors  affect  the completion time of the project.  As such, confirmed completion time of project cannot be ascertained at this state. Nevertheless, every effort is being made to execute the project expeditiously.

(c): Total 22 villages are coming in the vicinity of the project area, out of which, only 30 households in 2 villages are affected and are required to be shifted/re-located.

(d): Compensation for shifting of these 30 families amounting to ` 2.77 crore  has  already  been  deposited  by  Railways  to  State  Government  in October, 2014. The amount has also been distributed by State Government to the affected families.

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