Lok Sabha Question No. 628 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: Railway Projects in North-Eastern Region
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Mukesh Rajput, Bholanath (B.P. Saroj)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 628 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2023

## RAILWAY PROJECTS IN NORTH-EASTERN REGION

†628.  SHRI MUKESH RAJPUT: SHRI BHOLANATH (B.P. SAROJ):

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  railway  projects  implemented  in  the  NorthEastern Region during the past decade;
- (b) the  details  of  the  allocated  funds/budget  for  the  said  railway projects implemented in the North- Eastern Region; and
- (c) the extent of impact railway projects that are likely to make on promoting the economy of the North-Eastern States?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS 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. 628 BY SHRI MUKESH RAJPUT AND SHRI BHOLANATH  (B.P.  SAROJ)  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 06.12.2023 REGARDING RAILWAY PROJECTS IN NORTH-EASTERN REGION

(a) to (c): Railway projects are sanctioned Zonal Railway-wise and not State-wise or Region-wise as Indian Railways' projects may span across State boundaries. The following 08 railway projects falling fully/partly in North Eastern Region have been commissioned since 2014:

| S. No.   | Name of Project                                                                         |   Length (km) |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|
| 1        | Bogibeel Bridge with linked line new line                                               |            92 |
| 2        | Agartala-Sabroom new line                                                               |           112 |
| 3        | Rangiya-Murkongselek along with linked fingers gauge conversion                         |           510 |
| 4        | Kumarghat-Agartala gauge conversion                                                     |           109 |
| 5        | Katakhal-Bhairabi gauge conversion                                                      |            84 |
| 6        | Lumding-Badarpur-Silchar & Badarpur-Kumarghat including linked fingers gauge conversion |           412 |
| 7        | Lumding - Hojai doubling                                                                |            45 |
| 8        | Digaru - Hojai doubling                                                                 |           102 |
|          | Total                                                                                   |          1466 |

In addition, as on 01.04.2023, 19 Railway infrastructure projects (14 New Line and 05 Doubling), of total length of 1,909 km costing ₹81,941 crore falling fully/partly in North  Eastern  Region,  are  in  planning/ approval/construction  stages,  out  of  which  482  km  length  has  been commissioned and an expenditure of  ₹37,713 crore  has  been  incurred upto March 2023. These include-

- (i) 14  New  Line  projects  of  total  length  of  1,181  km  costing  ₹66,417 crore, out of which 361 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹33,333 crore has been incurred upto March 2023.
- (ii) 05 Doubling projects of total length of 728 km costing ₹15,524 crore, out  of  which  121  km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹4,380 crore has been incurred upto March 2023.

Railway  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  North  Eastern  Region  are covered  under  Northeast  Frontier  Railway  Zone.  Details  of  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.

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 North Eastern Region is as under:-

| Period   | Budget Outlay    | Percentage change as compared to average annual allocation during 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹2122 crore/year | -                                                                           |
| 2014-23  | ₹6083 crore/year | 187% more                                                                   |
| 2023-24  | ₹10269 crore     | 384% more                                                                   |

During  2014-23,  1,618  km  sections  (377  km  New  Line,  972  km Gauge  Conversion  and  269  km  Doubling),  falling  fully/partly  in  North Eastern Region have been commissioned at an average rate of 179.78 km per year, which is 170% more than average annual commissioning during 2009-14 (66.6 km per year).

Benefits  of  Railway  projects  in  the  North  East  Region  include integration of people of North-East with the mainstream of the country, faster  movement  of  the  essential  goods  and  agriculture  products, increase  in  employment  opportunities  for  the  people  of  this  region, Socio-economic  development  of  the  area,  development  of  tourism industry and increase in industrial activities in the region.

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