Lok Sabha Question No. 2628 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: Konkan Railway Uttara Kannada Region
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2628 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2024

## KONKAN RAILWAY UTTARA KANNADA REGION

- 2628     SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  progress  and  position  of  the  Railway  Project relating  to  establishment  of  Talguppa  to  Tadas,  Ankola  to  Hubli and Dharwad to Belagavi rail lines;
- (b) the  details  of  the  actions  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve Karwar,  Gokarna,  Kumta  and  Murdeshwara  stations  in  Konkan Railway Uttara Kannada region; and
- (c) whether any proposal for overbridges on railway level crossings for locals and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING 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.  2628  BY  SHRI  VISHWESHWAR  HEGDE KAGERI  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  07.08.2024  REGARDING KONKAN RAILWAY UTTARA KANNADA REGION

## (a) to (c): The details are as follows:-

- Talaguppa  -  Sirsi  -  Hubbali  New  Line:  Final  Location  Survey (FLS)  for  Talaguppa  -  Sirsi  -  Hubbali  New  Line  (158  Km)  via Tadas has been sanctioned for preparation of Detailed Project
-  Report (DPR).
-  Hubali -Ankola: Earthwork & Bridge works has been completed in Hubli-Kiravati (47 km) section, further work could not be executed for want of forestry and Wild life clearance of 569.64  Ha  forest  land  and  related  litigations.    Now  after resolution of the litigation, it has been decided that line should be  planned  with  double  line  in  forest  area  to  avoid  repeated disturbances  to  Wildlife.  Accordingly  preparation  of  Detailed Project  Report  (DPR)  for  double  line  has  been  taken  up  in consultation with all stakeholders.
-  Belgaum - Dharwad:   New line between Belgaum and Dharwad via Kittur (73 Km) has been sanctioned on 50:50 cost sharing basis  between  Railway  and  State  Government  of  Karnataka and  land  to  be  provided  free  of  cost  by  State  Government  of Karnataka. State Government has entrusted the land acquisition  to  KIADB  (Karnataka  Industrial  Area  Development Board). Requisitions for acquisition of 888 Acre land have been submitted  to  KIADB,  out  of  which  no  land  has  been  handed over.

The  completion  of  any  Railway  project  depends  on  various  factors  like quick land acquisition by State Government, forestry clearance by officials of  forest  department,  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 conditions etc. All  these  factors  affect  the  completion  time  of  the  project.  With  above constraints, every effort is being made to execute the project(s) expeditiously.

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  fund  allocation  and commensurate commissioning of projects in State of Karnataka as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 835 crore/year   | -                                               |
| 2023-24  | 7,561 crore      | 9 times                                         |
| 2024-25  | 7,559 crore      | 9 times                                         |

Commissioning of infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the State of Karnataka is as under:

| Period   | Total Track Commissioned   | Average Track Commissioned   | Increase w.r.t. average commissioning during 2009-14   |
|----------|----------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 565 Km                     | 113 Km/year                  | -                                                      |
| 2014-24  | 1,633 Km                   | 163 Km/year                  | nearly 1.5 times                                       |

Ministry of Railways has recently launched Amrit Bharat Station scheme. This  scheme  envisages  development  of  stations  on  a  continuous  basis with a long-term approach.

It involves preparation of Master Plans and their implementation in phases to  improve  the  amenities  at  the  stations  like  improvement  of  station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary,  cleanliness,  free  Wi-Fi,  kiosks  for  local  products  through schemes  like  'One  Station  One  Product',  better  passenger  information systems,  Executive  Lounges,  nominated  spaces  for  business  meetings, landscaping etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.

The  scheme  also  envisages  improvement  of  building,  integrating  the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballastless  tracks  etc.,  as  per  necessity,  phasing  and  feasibility  and creation of city centres at the station in the long term.

So far, 1324 stations have been selected under this scheme out of which 59 stations in the State of Karnataka have been identified for development under the scheme.

The names of stations identified for development in the State of Karnataka are as below:

| State     |   No. of Stations | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Karnataka |                59 | Almatti, Alnavar, Arsikere Junction, Badami, Bagalkot, Ballary, Bangalore Cantt., Bangarpet, Bantawala, Belagavi, Bidar, Bijapur, Chamaraja Nagar, Channapatna, Channasandra, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Davangere, Dharwad, Dodballapur, Gadag, Gangapur Road, Gangavathi, Ghataprabha, Gokak Road, Harihar, Hassan, Hosapete, Kalaburagi, Kengeri, Kopal, Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna |

| (Bengaluru Station), Krishnarajapuram, Malleswaram, Malur, Mandya, Mangalore Central, Mangalore Jn., Munirabad, Mysore, Raybag, Raichur, Ramanagaram, Ranibennur, Sagar Jambagaru, Sakleshpur, Shahabad, Shivamogga Town, Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Jn, Subramanya Road, Talguppa, Tiptur, Tumakuru, Udupi, Wadi, Whitefield, Yadgir, Yesvantpur, Chikkodi Road Station   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Further upgradation/development/redevelopment  of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and on-going process and works in this regard are  undertaken  as  per  requirement,  subject  to  inter-se priority  and availability of funds. However, priority for upgradation/development/redevelopment of stations is accorded to higher category of station over lower category of station while sanctioning and executing the work.

Major passenger amenities and development works i.e. providing Platform shelter,  Foot  over  Bridge,  Bio-  Toilets,  extension  and  improvement  to Platform, Circulating area, new high level platform etc. have been taken up at  Karwar,  Gokarna  Road,  Kumta  and  Murudeshwar  Stations  in  Uttara Kannada Region. Total ₹6.16 Cr. has been incurred for development works for these 4 stations during last 10 years.

Apart  from  above  passenger  amenity  and  development  works,  safety works of Complete Track Renewal (CTR) between Ankola to Shiroor which includes CTR on main line at Gokarna & Murudeshwar Stations are also completed. Additional Traffic facility work of passenger loop line has been provided at Murudeshwar.

Proposals/suggestions/representations, both formal and informal, including that from Hon'ble Members of Parliament, Ministers of Central Government, elected representatives, Railways' own requirements, organizations/rail  users  etc.    are  received  at  various  levels  of  Railway Administration viz. Division, Zonal Headquarter and Railway Board's level for  introduction  of  new  trains,  extension  of  existing  trains,  provision  of stoppages, new lines, Gauge conversion, Doubling, Road Over Bridges/Road Under Bridges etc., a compendium of which is not maintained.    However,  these  are  examined  and  action  as  found  feasible and justified is taken from time to time.

There  is  no  proposal  from  State  Government  for  any  Road  Over  Bridge (ROB). However, the locals from Kumta have requested for an over bridge (ROB) in lieu of LC-62 in Mirjan - Kumta Section in Uttara Kannada District. A  feasibility  survey  for  construction  of  ROB  has  been  done  by  Konkan Railway.

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