Lok Sabha Question No. 2496 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-21
Subject: Ongoing Railway Projects in Andhra Pradesh
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2496 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2022

## ONGOING RAILWAY PROJECTS IN ANDHRA PRADESH

2496. SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  present  status  of  ongoing  railway  projects  in  the  country, including  Andhra  Pradesh  which  are  pending,  State/zone/projectwise and the dates since when these projects are pending;
- (b) the  number  of  projects  running  behind  schedule  including  the reasons therefor, project-wise along with the extent to which the cost of each pending project has gone up;
- (c) the amount of funds allocated/spent on these projects during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (d) the  State-wise  number  of  projects  held  up/lying  pending  due  to shortage of funds; and
- (e) the time-limit fixed for completing the said projects and the steps taken by the Railways in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2496 BY SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 21.12.2022 REGARDING ONGOING RAILWAY PROJECTS IN ANDHRA PRADESH.

(a) to (e):   The  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned  and  executed    Zonal Railway wise and not State wise/UT wise as the Railways' projects may span across various state boundaries.

As  on  01.04.2022,  across  Indian  Railways  including  Andhra  Pradesh, 452  Railway  projects  (183  New  Line,  42  Gauge  Conversion  and  227 Doubling)  of  total  length  49,323  Km,  costing approx. ` 7.33  lakh  crore are  in  different  stages  of  planning/sanction/execution,  out  of  which, 11,518  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of approx. ` 2.35 lakh crore has been incurred upto March, 2022.

Zone wise details of Railway projects, including cost, expenditure and outlay 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)> Rail  Budget/Pink  Book  (year)>  Railway-wise  Works,  Machinery  and Rolling Stock Programme (RSP).

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in fund allocation for New Line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling Projects and commensurate commissioning  of  Projects  in  Indian  Railways.  The  Average  Annual Budget allocation for these works during 2014-19 increased to ` 26,026 crore per year from ` 11,527 crore per year during 2009-14 (126% more than  average  annual  budget  allocation  during 2009-14).  The Annual ..P/2

Budget  allocation  for  these  projects  increased  to ` 39,836  crore  in Financial  Year  2019-20  (246%  more  than  average  annual  budget allocation  during  2009-14), ` 43,626  crore  in  Financial  Year  2020-21 (278% more than the Average Annual Budget allocation during 2009-14) and ` 56,716 crore for Financial year 2021-22 (392% more than average annual budget allocation during 2009-14). For Financial Year 2022-23, highest-ever budget outlay of ` 67,001 crore has been provided for these works, which is 481% more than average annual budget outlay of 200914.

During 2014-22, across Indian Railway, 20,628 km sections (3,970 km New Line, 5,507  km  Gauge  Conversion  and  11,151  km  Doubling)  has been commissioned at an average of 2,579 km/year which is 70% more than the average annual commissioning during 2009-14 (1,520 km/year).

## Andhra Pradesh

As  on  01.04.2022,  31  projects  (16  New  Lines  and  15  Doubling), covering  total  length  of  5,581  km,  costing ₹ 70,594  crore,  falling fully/partly in Andhra Pradesh, are under different stage of planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which  636  km  length  has  been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 19,414 crore has been incurred upto March, 2022.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in budget allocation and commensurate commissioning of infrastructure projects. Average annual budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works,

falling fully/partly in the State of Andhra Pradesh, during 2014-19 has increased  to ₹ 2830  crore   per  year  from ₹ 886  crore  per  year  during 2009-14.  Thus,  an  increase  of  219%  over  the  average  annual  budget allocation of 2009-14.

Budget outlay for these projects has been increased to ₹ 3,885 crore in 2019-20 (338% more than average annual budget outlay during 200914), ₹ 4,910 crore in 2020-21 (454% more than average annual budget outlay  during  2009-14)  and ₹ 6,223  crore  in  Financial  Year  2021-22 (602% more than average annual outlay during 2009-14). For Financial Year 2022-23, highest ever budget allocation of ₹ 7,032 crore has been provided for these projects, which is 694% more than the average of 2009-14 (Rs 886 Cr/Yr.).

During 2014-22, 989 Km sections (350 km of New line and 639 km of Doubling) falling fully/partly in Andhra Pradesh have been commissioned at an average rate of 123.63 km per year, which is 70% more than average annual commissioning during 2009-14( 72.6 Km/Yr.).

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 cost sharing authorities in cost sharing project(s), priority of project(s), 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  etc.  and  all  these  factors  affect  the completion  time  and  cost  of  the  project(s).  With  above  constraints, every effort is being made to execute the project(s) expeditiously.

Various  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  speedy  sanction  and implementation  of  rail  projects  include  (i)  setting  up  of  Gati  Shakti units (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.  This  has  led  to substantial increase in rate of commissioning since 2014.

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