Lok Sabha Question No. 2550 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-10
Subject: South coast railway zone
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2550 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.03.2021

## SOUTH COAST RAILWAY ZONE

2550. SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  steps  taken  for  making  South  Coast  Railway  Zone  operational  after announcement of its creation;
- (b)  the  time  by  when  the  Government  is  likely  to  make  the  said  zone  fully operational;
- (c)  the steps taken to boost connectivity and to enable faster freight transport in the announced South Coast Railway Zone;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  estimated  the  yearly  revenue  that  could  be accrued through the announced zone, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government is planning to establish a Railway Recruitment Board in the announced zone, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMERCE & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER

ANSWER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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.2550 BY SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 10.03.2021 REGARDING SOUTH COAST RAILWAY ZONE

- (a): An Officer on Special Duty/South Coast Railway (OSD/SCoR) was posted to undertake planning and preparatory work for formation of New Zone. He has submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for setting up of new SCoR Zone.  In the meantime, an Umbrella work titled 'Creation of new South Coast Railway Zone and new Rayagada Division in East Coast Railway' has been included in Budget 2020-21  at an estimated cost of ` 170 Cr.
- (b): As the DPR is still under examination, time-frame cannot be fixed for operationalisation of the new Zone.

(c): South Coast Railway Zone  has not been operationalised  yet. However, introduction of trains to boost connectivity is an ongoing process in Indian Railways subject to traffic jurisdiction,  operational  feasibility  and  availability  of  resources  etc.  As  regards  faster freight transport, various measures have been taken all over Indian Railways such as

- (i) Increasing the axle load for carrying additional traffic per wagon
- (ii) Increase in length of freight trains
- (iii) Deployment of higher capacity locomotives & higher capacity wagons.
- (iv) Improving the speed of freight trains from 23.40 kmph in 2019-20 (upto December) to 42.50 kmph in the current year (upto December).
- (v) Improvement in maintenance practices of wagon and locomotives resulting in increased availability of rolling stock for traffic use.
- (vi) Improvement in track and signaling to carry higher volume of traffic.
- (vii) Use of extensive computerization in freight operations to improve monitoring and utilization of assets.
- (viii) Training staff and officers to adopt the new technology and management practices.
- (d):   No, Sir.
- (e):    No,  Sir.  Railway  Recruitment    Boards  (RRBs)    have    been    established  based  on territorial jurisdiction of the Indian Railways and not on the basis of States, Zones and Regions.

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