Lok Sabha Question No. 299 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: New Trains to Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur districts of Tamil Nadu
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Km. Sudha R

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 299 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2024

## NEW TRAINS TO MAYILADUTHURAI AND THANJAVUR DISTRICTS OF TAMIL NADU

299.  KM. SUDHA R:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  ongoing  and  upcoming  Railway  projects  in Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur districts of Tamil Nadu;
- (b) whether the  Government is considering  the  introduction  of  any new trains to/from/via  Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur districts  of Tamil Nadu and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the percentage of electrified rail line in Tamil Nadu, especially in Mayiladuthurai and Thanjavur districts of State?

## 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.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 299 BY KM. SUDHA R TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.07.2024 REGARDING NEW TRAINS TO MAYILADUTHURAI AND THANJAVUR DISTRICTS OF TAMIL NADU

- (a) Railway  projects  are  sanctioned  and  taken  up  Zonal  Railwaywise and not State-wise/District -wise as the Indian Railways' projects may span across various State boundaries. However, as on 01.04.2024,  22  Railways  infrastructures  projects  (10  new  line,  03 Gauge conversion and 09 doubling) of total length 2,587 Km, costing 33,467 crore, falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu including Mayiladuthurai  and  Thanjavur  districts  are  in  different  stages  of planning/sanctioning/ execution, out of which 665 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of 7,153 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024. These include:-
-  10 New Line Projects of total length 872 Km, costing  14,669 crore, out  of  which  24  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of  1,223 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024.
-  03  Gauge  Conversion  Projects  of  total  length  748  Km,  costing 5,417 crore, out of which 604 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of 3,267 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024.
-  09 Doubling Projects of total length 967 Km, costing  13,381 crore, out of which 37 Km length has been commissioned.

In  last  three  years  (i.e.  2021-2022,  2022-2023,  2023-24  and  current Financial Year i.e. 2024-25), total 21 Nos. of Surveys (04 New Line and 17  Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Tamil  Nadu  including Mayiladuthurai  and  Thanjavur  District  having  a  total  length  of  1,813 Km have been sanctioned and survey work has been taken up.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in Budget allocation and commensurate commissioning of projects. Average annual Budget allocation for Infrastructure and safety works, falling fully/ partly in the State of Tamil Nadu is as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 879 crore/year   | -                                               |
| 2013-14  | 922 crore        | -                                               |
| 2023-24  | 6,080 crore      | nearly 7 times                                  |

In  2014-24,  1302  Km  section  (39  km  New  Line,  456  Km  of  Gauge Conversion and 807 km of Doubling) falling fully/partly  in the State the Tamil Nadu have been commissioned at an average rate of 130.2 Km per year.

Though fund allocation has increased manifold but pace of execution of  project  is  dependent  on  expeditious  land  acquisition.  Railway acquires the land  through  State  Government.  State  Government assesses  the  compensation  amount  and  advises  to  Railway.  On receipt    of    demand    from   State   Government,   Railway   deposits …3/-

compensation amount with concerned District Land acquisition Authority. Execution of important infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu is held up due to delay in land acquisition and only about 807 Ha land has been acquired out of total requirement  of  about  2749  Ha.  Railway  had  initiated  efforts  for acquisition  of  land  but  could  not  succeed  in  acquiring  land  for projects.  Support  of  the  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  is  needed  to expedite the land acquisition.

(b): Mayiladuturai  station  is  presently  being  served  by  66  train services. Similarly, Thanjavur station is presently being served by 65 train  services.  Further,  to  cater  the  needs  of  passengers,  10  special trains are also serving Mayiladuturai station while 4 special trains are serving Thanjavur station. Moreover, introduction of new train services is  an  ongoing  process  on  Indian  Railways,  subject  to  operational feasibility, traffic pattern, availability of resources, etc.

(c): Majority  of  Broad  Gauge  lines  in  the  State  of  Tamil  Nadu  have been  electrified.  100%  of  existing  Broad  Gauge  line  have  been electrified  in  Mayiladuturai  district.  Electrification  work  has  been taken  up  on  balance  Broad  Gauge  line  of  Thiruvarur-PattukottaiKaraikkudi in Thanjavur District.

*****