Lok Sabha Question No. 2683 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-07
Subject: Construction of Wadsa-Gadchiroli Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. Kirsan Namdeo

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2683 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2024

## CONSTRUCTION OF WADSA-GADCHIROLI RAILWAY LINE

2683  DR KIRSAN NAMDEO:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that in the 2011-12 Budget Government made a provision for connecting Gadchiroli, a district headquarter in the tribal dominated and the most backward area in Maharashtra with WadsaGadchiroli rail network;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  construction  of  the  Wadsa-Gadchiroli  railway  line  has commenced;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons for delay along with the time by which the said construction work is likely to be commenced and completed?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (e)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.2683  BY  DR  KIRSAN  NAMDEO    TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 07.08.2024 REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF WADSA-GADCHIROLI RAILWAY LINE (a)  to  (e):  Wadsa-Gadchiroli  (52  km)  new  line  project    has  been sanctioned on 50:50 cost sharing basis with Government of Maharashtra.  Latest  anticipated  cost  of  the  project  is  ₹1096  cr.  An expenditure  of  ₹337  crore  has  been  incurred  on  the  project  till March'2024.  An  outlay  of  ₹250  crore  has  been  provided  for  financial year 2024-25. In 2023-24 complete land (220.46 Ha) has been acquired and Forest/Wildlife clearance have been received and work has been taken up. As on 01.04.2024, 41 Railway infrastructure projects (16 New Line, 02 Gauge Conversion and 23 Doubling), of total length of 5,877 km costing ₹81,580  crore  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra  are  at various stage of planning and implementation, out of which 1,926 km length  has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of  ₹31,236  crore has been incurred upto March 2024. These include(i) 16 New Line projects of total length of 2,017 km costing ₹38,423 crore,  out  of  which  166  km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of ₹8,529 crore has been incurred upto March 2024. (ii) 02 Gauge Conversion projects of total length of 609 km costing ₹7,339 crore, out of which 312 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹3,332 crore has been incurred upto March 2024. 23 Doubling projects of total length of 3,251 km costing ₹35,818 crore,  out  of  which  1,448  km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an

- (iii) expenditure of ₹19,376 crore has been incurred upto March 2024.

Average  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  projects  and  safety works, falling fully/ partly in Maharashtra is as under:

| Period   | Average Outlay    | Increase more as compared to average allocation during 2009-14   |
|----------|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹1,171 crore/year | -                                                                |
| 2023-24  | ₹13,539 Crore     | Nearly 11.6 times                                                |
| 2024-25  | ₹15940 Crore      | Nearly 13.6 times                                                |

The  details  of  commissioning  of  New  Lines,  Gauge  Conversion  and Doubling sections falling fully/partly in the state of Maharashtra is as under:

| Period   | Total Length Commissioned   | Average Length Commissioned   | Increase w.r.t. average commissioning during 2009-14   |
|----------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 292 km                      | 58.4 km/Year                  | -                                                      |
| 2014-24  | 1,830 km                    | 183 km/Year                   | About 3.13 times                                       |

Completion/Execution of Railway project/s depends on various factors like  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest  clearance  by officials of forest department, 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 execution and completion time of the project/s.

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