Lok Sabha Question No. 1527 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-31
Subject: Malwa Railway Connectivity
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1527 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2024

## MALWA RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY

1527 SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a)  proposed  or  ongoing  project  aimed  at  laying  down  a  railway  line from Rajpura to Chandigarh to connect the entire Malwa region with the capital of Punjab, Chandigarh; and

(b) if so, the details on the status and scope of this project?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) and (b) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  and  (b)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1527 BY SHRI GURMEET SINGH MEET HAYER TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 31.07.2024 REGARDING MALWA RAILWAY CONNECTIVITY (a)  and  (b):  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned  and  executed  Zonal Railway wise and not State/District/City wise as Railway projects may span across State boundaries. Survey  for  new  railway  lines  in  areas  which  are  not  connected  by Railway  network  is  a  continuous  and  ongoing  process  of  Indian Railways and is done based on demands raised by State Governments, Ministries of Central Government, Members of Parliament,  other  elected  representatives,  organizations/rail  users and Railways' own operational requirements. Rajpura  is  connected  to  Chandigarh  by  rail  line  via  Ambala  Cantt. railway  station.  However,  for  direct  connectivity  between  Rajpura and Chandigarh, a survey was completed. Subsequently,  Rajpura  -  Mohali  New  Line  project  (23.89  Km)  was included in  Budget subject to requisite Government  approvals. Accordingly, Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared by Railway. As per DPR, the project has poor traffic projections. Therefore, State Government of Punjab was requested several times to provide land free of cost and share 50% cost of the project. Government of Punjab has not given their consent. Sanctioning of Railway projects is a continuous and dynamic process of Indian Railway. Railway Infrastructure Projects are taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, last mile connectivity, missing links and economic  considerations  etc.  depending  upon  liabilities  of  ongoing alternate  routes,  augmentation  of  congested/saturated  lines  socioprojects, overall availability of funds and competing demands.

As on 01.04.2024, 12 railway projects (06 New line and 06 Doubling) of total length 1,158 km, costing ₹19,843 crore, falling fully/partly in the state of Punjab are in planning/approval/construction stage,  out of  which, 255 km length has been commissioned  and an expenditure of ₹7590 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024.

- (i) 6 New Line projects covering total length of 367 km at a cost of  ₹11,220  crore,  out  of  which  61  km  length  has  been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹5546  crore  has been incurred upto March 2024.
- (ii) 6 Doubling projects covering total length of 791 km at a cost of  ₹8623  crore,  out  of  which  194  km  length  has  been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 2,044 crore has been incurred upto March 2024

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  fund  allocation and commensurate commissioning of projects across Indian Railways.  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  projects  and  safety works falling fully/partly in the state of Punjab:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | %age more as compared to average allocation during 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹225 Cr./Yr      | -                                                            |
| 2023-24  | ₹4762Cr.         | More than 21 times                                           |
| 2024-25  | ₹5147 Cr.        | Approx. 23 times                                             |

Though fund allocation has increased manifold but pace of execution of project is dependent on expeditious land acquisition. Execution of important  infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Punjab  is  held  up  due  to  delay  in  land  acquisition.  In  DaulatpurTalwara section of Nangaldam Talwara New Line Project, only about 17.17  Ha  land  has  been  acquired  out  of  total  requirement  of  about 89.92  Ha.  Railway  had  initiated  efforts  for  acquisition  of  land  but could  not  succeed  in  acquiring  land  for  projects.  Support  of  the Government of Punjab is needed to expedite the land acquisition.

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).

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