Lok Sabha Question No. 3394 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-09
Subject: Doubling/Electrification of Railway Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Krupal Balaji Tumane, Bhavana Gawali (Patil)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3394 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2023

## DOUBLING/ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY TRACKS

† 3394. SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE: SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the current status of projects being implemented for doubling and electrification works of railway tracks across the country; (b) the details of projects sanctioned for the same during the last eight years in the country particularly in Maharashtra; (c) the year-wise details of funds allocated and released by the Union Government for the said projects during the last five years; (d) whether many of these projects are pending and are taking a long time for completion and if so, the reasons therefor; (e) the time by which these projects are likely to be completed; and the steps taken by the Railways to complete these projects at the

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

- (f) earliest?

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3394 BY  SHRI  KRUPAL  BALAJI  TUMANE AND SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK  SABHA  ON  09.08.2023  REGARDING  DOUBLING/ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY TRACKS

(a) to (c): The Railway projects are sanctioned/executed Zonal Railwaywise  and  not  State-wise  as  the  Railways'  projects  may  span  across state boundaries. As on 01.04.2023, across Indian Railways,  231 Doubling projects of total length 20,296 Km, costing approx. ` 2.70 lakh crore are in planning/approval/construction stage, out of which 5,455 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of approx. ` 1.03 lakh crore has been incurred upto March, 2023.

As  on  01.04.2023,  across  Indian  Railways,  191  Railway  Electrification projects of  32,951 km  length, costing approx. ` 84,070 Crore are sanctioned, out of which 26,847 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of approx. ` 37,319 crore has been incurred upto March, 2023.

During  the  last  eight  years  (i.e.  from  FY  2015-16  till  FY  2022-23  and current  FY  2023-24),  across  Indian  Railways,  200  Doubling  Projects  of total  length  of  13,428  km,  costing ` 1,34,097  Crore  and  206  Railway Electrification projects costing ` 63,882 Crore have been sanctioned.

## MAHARASHTRA:

During  the  last  eight  years  (i.e.  from  FY  2015-16  till  FY  2022-23  and current  FY  2023-24),  14  Doubling  Projects  of  total  length  2,198  km, costing ` 18,357  crore  and  18  Railway  Electrification  projects  costing ` 3,616 crore,  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra  have  been sanctioned.

Railway infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the State of Maharashtra are covered under Central Railway, South Central Railway, South  East  Central  Railway,  South  Western  Railway  and  Western Railway  Zones  of  Indian  Railways.  Zone-wise  details  of  all  Railway Projects  including  cost,  expenditure  and  outlay  are  made  available  in public domain on Indian Railways website i.e. www.indianrailways.gov.in>  Ministry of  Railways>  Railway  Board> about Indian Railways> Railway Board Directorates> Finance (Budget)> Rail  Budget/Pink  Book  (year)>  Railway-wise  Works,  Machinery  and Rolling Stock Programme (RSP).

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  Budget  allocation and commensurate commissioning of projects across Indian Railways. Average Budget allocation for Infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/ partly in Maharashtra is as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay     | Percentage more as compared to average allocation during 2009- 14   |
|----------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ` 1,171 crore/year | -                                                                   |
| 2014-23  | ` 6,493 crore/year | 454.5% more                                                         |
| 2023-24  | ` 13,539 crore     | 1056.2% more                                                        |

During  2014-23,  1,472  km  sections  (147  km  New  Line,  136  km  Gauge Conversion  and  1,189  km  Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  Maharashtra have been commissioned at an average rate 163.56 km per year, which is 180%  more  than  average commissioning during 2009-14 (58.4 km/year).

Indian Railways

The  Budget  allocation  for  New  Line,  Gauge  Conversion  and  Doubling Projects across Indian Railways is as under:-

| Year    | Budget Allotment ( ` in crore)   |
|---------|----------------------------------|
| 2018-19 | 30,916                           |
| 2019-20 | 39,836                           |
| 2020-21 | 43,626                           |
| 2021-22 | 56,716                           |
| 2022-23 | 67,001                           |
| 2023-24 | 67,199                           |

## Zone-wise details of Budget  Allocation for Railway Electrification projects during last five years and current year are as under:

| Year    | Budget Allotment ( ` in crore)   |
|---------|----------------------------------|
| 2018-19 | 6,302                            |
| 2019-20 | 6,960                            |
| 2020-21 | 6,326                            |
| 2021-22 | 7,542                            |
| 2022-23 | 7,700                            |
| 2023-24 | 8,070                            |

(d) and (e): 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, clearance from the concerned  departments,  State  Governments/Ministries,  deposition  of cost  share  by  State  Government  in  cost  sharing  projects,  shifting  of infringing utilities, statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation

..P/4

in  the  area  of  project(s)  site,  number  of  working  months  in  a  year  for particular project site due to climatic conditions, completion of Transmission Line works by State Power Utilities and resolution of law &  order  issues  during  execution  etc.  All  these  factors  affect  the completion time of the project(s). As such the confirmed time frame for completion of projects cannot be ascertained at this stage.

(f):  Various  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  effective  and speedy  implementation  of  rail  projects  include  (i)  setting  up  of  Gati Shakti  Directorate  in  Ministry  of  Railways  and  Gati  Shakti  Units  in divisions (ii) prioritisation of projects (iii) substantial increase  in allocation  of  funds    (iv)  delegation  of  powers  at  field  level  (v)  close monitoring  of  progress  of project at various  levels  and (vi) regular follow up with State Governments  and  concerned  authorities for expeditious  land  acquisition,  forestry  and  Wildlife  clearances  and  for resolving  other  issues  pertaining  to  projects  and  this  has  lead  to increase in the pace of commissioning of projects.

*****