Lok Sabha Question No. 1674 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-13
Subject: Rail Facility in Aspirational Districts
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Gajendra Singh Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1674 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2023

## RAIL FACILITY IN ASPIRATIONAL DISTRICTS

†1674.   SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  projects  being  implemented  by  the  Railways  in Malwa-Nimar region and the future action plan thereof;
- (b) the  projects  under  consideration  of  the  Railways  to  provide  rail facility in tribal dominated area under Khargone-Barwani Parliamentary Constituency;
- (c) whether  any  special  rail  project  is  proposed  to  connect  Nimar  Khargone  -  Barwani  -  Dhar  -  Alirajpur  region  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (d) the efforts being made by the Government to provide rail facility in the aspirational districts ?

## 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. 1674 BY SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH PATEL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 13.12.2023 REGARDING RAIL FACILITY IN ASPIRATIONAL DISTRICTS

(a)  to  (d):  Projects  are  not  sanctioned  State-wise/District-wise/Regionwise/Constituency-wise,  but  sanctioned  Zone  wise  as  Indian  Railways' projects  may  span  across  State  boundaries.  However,  a  major  project 'Indore  Budni  New  Line  (205  Km)'  is  being  implemented  by  Railways  to provide connectivity in Malwa Nimar Region. This project passes through Indore, Dewas and Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh.

As on 01.04.2023, 32 Railway infrastructure projects (08 new lines, 02 gauge conversion and 22 doubling), costing ₹ 77,798 crore for 5,539 km length  falling  fully/partly  in  Madhya  Pradesh  including  Malwa  Nimar and tribal dominated areas are under different stages of planning/approval/execution.    Out  of  which  1,557  km  length  has  been commissioned and  an expenditure  of  ₹  31,111  crore  has  been  incurred upto March 2023. These include:

-  08  New  Line  Projects  covering  total  length  of  1,979  km  at  a cost of ₹ 32,226  crore, out of which 400 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 8,611 crore has been incurred upto March 2023.
-  02 Gauge Conversion Projects covering total length of 780 km at a cost of ₹ 9,297 crore, out of which 283 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 4,040 crore has been incurred upto March 2023.

-  22 Doubling Projects covering total length of 2780 km at a cost of  ₹  36,275  crore,  out  of  which  874  km  length  has  been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 18,460 crore has been incurred upto March 2023.

Railway projects in Madhya Pradesh are covered by North Central Railway,  West  Central  Railway,  East  Central  Railway,  Western  Railway, Central Railway, South Central Railway and South East Central Railway Zones  of  Indian  Railways.  The  details  of  Railway  projects  including allotment of funds and expenditure project-wise and Zonal Railway wise are made available in public domain on Indian Railways website.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in Budget allotment for  infrastructure  projects  and  commensurate  commissioning.  Average annual  Budget  allocation  for  infrastructure  projects  and  safety  works, falling fully/partly in the state of Madhya Pradesh is as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Percentage more as compared to average allocation during 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹ 632 Cr./Yr     | -                                                                  |
| 2023-24  | ₹ 13,607 Cr.     | 2053% more                                                         |

During 2014-23, 1741 km sections (293 km New line, 636 km Gauge conversion and 812 km Doubling), falling fully/partly in the state of  Madhya Pradesh,  have  been  commissioned  at  an  average  rate  of  193.44  km  per year,  which  is  567%  more  than  average  annual  commissioning  achieved during 2009-14 (29 km per year).

To  provide  rail  connectivity  in  tribal  dominated  area,  survey  for Khandwa-  Dhar  via  Khargaone  &  Barwani  (260  Km)  new  line  has  been sanctioned  and  field  survey  work  has  been  completed.    Work  on  Dhar  Alirajpur section (109 Km) has been taken up as a part of Chota Udepur Dhar (157 Km) new line project costing ₹ 1794 crore.

The  timely  completion  of  any  Railway  project  depends  on  various factors  like  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest  clearance  by officials of forest department, shifting of infringing utilities (both underground and over ground), 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, encountering unforeseen  conditions  like  earthquake,  excessive  rains,  situation  and conditions  of  working  agencies/contractors  etc.  and  all  these  factors affect the completion of the project.

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