Lok Sabha Question No. 1340 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Laying New Railway Lines in Rajasthan
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Nihal Chand Chauhan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1340 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2022

## LAYING NEW RAILWAY LINES IN RAJASTHAN

1340. SHRI NIHAL CHAND:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Union Government is considering to lay new railway lines  in  the  country  including  Rajasthan  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether  proposals  of  various  States  related  to  laying  of  new railway lines in the country are under consideration of the Union Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to conduct the Gajsinghpur -Padampur -Beenjhbayala -Goluwala -Hanumangarh - Rawatsar - Nohar railway line of Rajasthan which was announced in the year 1998; and
- (d)
- if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## 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.  1340  BY  SHRI  NIHAL  CHAND  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 09.02.2022 REGARDING LAYING NEW RAILWAY LINES IN RAJASTHAN.

(a): Yes, Sir. The Railway projects are surveyed/ sanctioned Zonal Railway wise  and  not  State/UT-wise  as  the  Railways'  projects  may  span  across State/UT boundaries. As on 01.04.2021, across Indian Railways including Rajasthan, 187 New line projects of 21,037 Km length, costing approx. ` 4.06 lakh crore are in different stages of planning/sanction/execution, out of which commissioning of 2,621 Km length has been achieved and expenditure of approx. ` 1.06 lakh crore has been incurred upto March, 2021.

During 2014-21, 3,681 km section of New Line has been commissioned at an average of 525.86 km/year which is 52% more than the average annual  commissioning  of  New  line  section  during  2009-14  (345.40 km/year).

## RAJASTHAN

As on 01.04.2021, 11 New Line projects covering a length of 1228 km costing ` 15,920 crore falling fully/partly in the State of Rajasthan  are in  different  stages  of  planning/sanction/execution,  out  of  which,  107 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 2,260 crore has been incurred upto March, 2021.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in fund allocation and commensurate  commissioning  of  projects.  Average  Annual  Budget allocation  for  Infrastructure  projects  &  safety  works,  falling  fully/ partly  in  State  of  Rajasthan,  during  2014-19  has  been  enhanced  to ` 2,951 crore per year from ` 682 crore per year during 2009-14, which is 333%  more  than  Average  Annual  Budget  allocation  during  2009-14. These  allocations  have  been  increased  to ` 4,686  crore  in  Financial Year 2019-20 (587% more than the Average Annual Budget allocation of  2009-14)  and ` 4,582  crore  in  Financial  Year  2020-21(572%  more than the Average Annual Budget allocation of 2009-14). For Financial Year  2021-22,  highest  ever  budget  outlay  of ` 6,006  crore  {Original Budget Outlay (BE) ` 4,986 Crore and additional allotment ` 1,020 Crore} has  been  provided  for  these  Projects,  which  is  781%  more  than  the Average Annual Budget outlay of 2009-14 (`682 crore per year).

During  2014-21,  1947  Km  (176  km  of  New  line,  637  km  of  Gauge conversion and 1134 km of Doubling projects) have been commissioned  in  the  state  at  an  average  rate  278.14  km  per  year, which is 74% more than commissioning during  2009-14  (159.6 Km/Yr.)

(b):  Proposals/suggestions/representations,  both  formal  and  informal regarding  Railway  projects  are  received  from  State  Governments, Ministries of Central Government, elected representatives, organizations/rail  users  etc.  by  Railways  at  various  levels  including Railway Board, Zonal Railways, Division Office etc. As receipt of such proposals/suggestions is a continuous and dynamic process, centralized compendium of such requests is not maintained. New line projects  are  taken  up  on  the  basis  of  remunerativeness,  last  mile connectivity,  missing  links  and  alternate  routes,  augmentation  of congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon throw forward of ongoing projects, overall availability of funds and competing demands.

(c)  and  (d):  Gajsinghpur,  Hanumangarh  and  Nohar  already  exist  on railway  network.  Gajsinghpur  is  connected  to  Hanumangarh  via  Sri Ganganagar  and  via  Suratgarh  also.  Hanumangarh-Nohar  line  also exists. Survey of Gajsinghpur - Padampur - Beenjhbayala - Goluwala Hanumangarh - Rawatsar - Nohar was completed in 2015-16. Project could not be taken forward being financially unviable.

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