Lok Sabha Question No. 3658 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: Railway Projects running behind the Schedule in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: S.R. Parthiban

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3658 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2023

RAILWAY PROJECTS RUNNING BEHIND THE SCHEDULE IN TAMIL NADU

3658. SHRI PARTHIBAN S.R. :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of railway projects currently  underway  in  the country, scheme/sector-wise;

(b) the  number of projects running behind schedule, especially in Tamil  Nadu,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor; and

- (c) the steps taken by the Government for timely completion of the said projects?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3658 BY SHRI  PARTHIBAN  S.R.  TO  BE ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  22.03.2023  REGARDING  RAILWAY PROJECTS RUNNING BEHIND THE SCHEDULE IN TAMIL NADU

(a): As  on  01.04.2022,  across  Indian  Railways  including  Tamil Nadu, 452 Railway Infrastructure 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  and  Year-wise  details  of  all  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.

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 New  Line, Gauge Conversion  and  Doubling  Projects  across  Indian  Railways  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  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), ` 56,716 crore for Financial  year  2021-22  (392%  more  than  Average  Annual  Budget Allocation during 2009-14) and ` 67,001 crore in Financial Year 202223 (481% more than average annual budget allocation of 2009-14). For  Financial  Year  2023-24,  highest  ever  budget  outlay  of ` 67,199 crore has been proposed for these works, which is 483 % more than Average Annual Budget allocation of 2009-14 ( ` 11527 Crore/Year).

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).

## Tamil Nadu

The  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned/executed  Zonal  Railway  wise and not State-wise as the Railways' projects may spans across State boundaries. As on 01.04.2022, 24 Railways infrastructures projects (09 new line, 04 Gauge conversion and 11 doubling) of total length 2,944  Km,  costing ` 30,692  crore,  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Tamil Nadu are in different stages of planning/sanctioning/ execution, out of which 804 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 7,705 crore has been incurred upto March, 2022. These include:-

-  09 New Line Projects of total length 871 Km, costing ` 10,724 crore, out of which 18 Km length has been commissioned and an  expenditure  of ` 685  crore  has  been  incurred  upto  March, 2022.

-  04 Gauge Conversion Projects of total length 839 Km, costing ` 5,778 crore, out of which 622 Km length has been commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ` 3,179  crore  has  been incurred upto March, 2022.
-  11 Doubling Projects of total length 1,234 Km, costing ` 14,190 crore, out of which 164 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ` 3,841 crore has been incurred upto March, 2022.

Railway  infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Tamil Nadu are covered under Southern Railway (SR), South Central Railway  (SCR)  and  South  Western  Railway  (SWR)  zone  of  Indian Railways.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in budget outlay for infrastructure projects and safety works and commensurate commissioning. Average annual Budget allocation for Infrastructure and Safety works, falling fully/ partly in State of Tamil Nadu, during 2014-19  has  been  enhanced  to ` 1,979  crore   per   year   from ` 879 crore   per   year   during   2009-14,   which   is   125%  more   than average  annual budget outlay of 2009-14. Annual budget allocation for  these projects has been increased to ` 2,410 crore for Financial Year  2019-20  (174%  more  than  average  annual  allocation  of  200914), ` 2,812  crore  for  Financial  Year  2020-21  (220%  more  than average  annual  budget  allocation  of  2009-14), ` 3,730  crore  for Financial  Year  2021-22,    (324  %  more  than  average  annual  budget allocation  of  2009-14)    and ` 3,865  crore  in  Financial  year  2022-23 (340% more than average annual budget allocation during 2009-14).

For  Financial  Year  2023-24,  highest  ever  budget  outlay  of ` 6,080 crore has been proposed for these works, which is 592% more than average annual budget outlay of 2009-14.

- (b) 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. and all these factors affect the completion time and cost  of  the  project(s).  As  such  the  confirmed  time  frame  for completion  of  projects  cannot  be  ascertained  at  this  stage.  With these constraints, very effort is being made to execute the project(s) expeditiously.
- (c) 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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