Lok Sabha Question No. 331 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Railway Bridge between Guwahati-Amingaon over Brahmaputra River
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Phani Bhusan Choudhury

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 331 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

## RAILWAY BRIDGE BETWEEN GUWAHATI-AMINGAON OVER BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER

*331 SHRI PHANI BHUSAN CHOUDHURY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  for  revival  of  the  old stations;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the Government  has  taken  any  decision  for laying foundation  stone  for  the  new  railway  bridge  between  GuwahatiAmingaon over river Brahmaputra; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING 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  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 331 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.12.2024

(a)  to  (d)  Ministry  of  Railways  has  launched  'Amrit  Bharat  Station Scheme' for development of Railway stations on Indian Railways. This scheme envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach.

It  involves  preparation  of  Master  Plans  and  their  implementation  in phases to improve the amenities at the stations like improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, platform surfacing and cover over platform, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes like 'One Station One Product', better passenger information systems, Executive Lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.

The scheme also envisages improvement of building, integrating the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision  of  ballastless  tracks,  etc.  as  per  necessity,  phasing  and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term.

So far,  1337  stations  have  been  identified  under  this  scheme,  out  of which  50  stations  are  located  in  the  state  of  Assam.  The  names  of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the state of Assam are as following:

| State   |   No. of Stations | Names of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Assam   |                50 | Amguri, Arunachal, Chaparmukh, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Diphu, Duliajan, Fakiragram Jn, Gauripur, Gohpur, Golaghat, Gosai Gaon Halt, Guwahati, Haibargaon, Harmuti, Hojai, Jagiroad, Jorhat Town, Kamakhya, Kokrajhar, Lanka, Ledo, Lumding, Majbat, Makum Jn, Margherita, Mariani, Murkeongselek, Naharkatiya, Nalbari, Namrup, Narangi, New Bongaigaon, New Haflong, New Karimganj, New Tinsukia, North Lakhimpur, Pathsala, Rangapara North, Rangiya Jn, Sarupathar, Sibsagar Town, Silapathar, Silchar, Simaluguri, Tangla, Tinsukia, Udalguri, Viswanath Chariali |

Tenders  for  development  works  have  been  awarded  for  48  Amrit stations  in  the  state  of  Assam  and  works  have  been  taken  up.  The projects have exhibited good pace of execution. For example,

- At Haibargaon station, structural works of new service building, parking  and  entry-exit  gate  have  been  completed  and  works  of improvement  of  existing station building, platform shelters, circulating area, approach road, pay & use toilet, construction of porch, etc. have been taken up.
- At  Gauripur  station,  structural  works  of  station  building  and waiting room have been completed and works of improvement of circulating area, Foot Over Bridge, etc. have been taken up.
- At  Hojai  station,  works  of  improvement  of  existing  station building, platform shelters, parking area, approach road, construction of new service building, pay & use toilets, porch,
- entry-exit gate, boundary wall, etc. have been taken up.
- At Lanka station, works of construction of new service building,
- pay  &  use  toilets,  entrance  porch,  entry-exit  gate,  Foot  Over Bridge, boundary wall, improvement of existing station building, platform shelters, parking area, approach road, etc. have been taken up.
- At Fakiragram station, structural works of new station building and approach road have been completed and works of construction of new Foot Over Bridge, improvement of platform shelter, circulating area, etc. have been taken up.

Development/redevelopment/upgradation of Railway Stations is complex in nature involving safety of passengers & trains and requires various  statutory  clearances  such  as  fire  clearance,  heritage,  tree cutting, air-port clearance etc. The progress also gets affected due to brownfield  related  challenges  such  as  shifting  of  utilities  (involving water/sewage lines, optical fibre cables, gas pipe lines, power/signal cables,  etc.),  infringements,  operation  of  trains  without  hindering passenger movement, speed restrictions due to works carried out in close proximity of tracks and high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors  affect  the  completion  time.  Therefore,  no  time  frame  can  be indicated at this stage.

Further, development/upgradation of stations and amenities for passengers  is  a  continuous  and  ongoing  process  and  works  in  this regard are undertaken as per requirement, subject to inter-se priority and  availability  of  funds.  The  priority  for  provision/upgradation  of amenities  is  accorded  to  higher  category  of  station  over  lower category of station while sanctioning and executing the works.

Development  /  upgradation  of  stations  including  under  Amrit  Bharat Station  Scheme  is  generally  funded  under  Plan  Head-53  'Customer Amenities'. The details of allocation under Plan Head-53 are maintained  Zonal  Railway-wise  and  not  work-wise  or  station-wise  or State-wise.  The  state  of  Assam  is  covered  by  Northeast  Frontier Railway. The allocation for the financial year 2024-25 for this zone is Rs 530 Crores.

## New Rail-cum-Road bridge at Saraighat

The work of 'Doubling of Agthori -Kamakhya section with construction of new Rail-cum-Road bridge at Saraighat (7.062 Km)' is sanctioned  at  a  cost  of  Rs  1,473.77  Crores  on  19.02.2024.  Detailed design and drawing of this bridge has been taken up.

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