Lok Sabha Question No. 1665 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-13
Subject: Railway Infrastructure in West Bengal
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Jagannath Sarkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1665 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2023

## RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE IN WEST BENGAL

1665.   SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  upcoming  rail  infrastructure  projects  in  West  Bengal, particularly in Nadia District;
- (b) whether the Government is facing challenges related to land acquisition for rail infrastructure projects from the Government of West Bengal; and
- (c) if so, the steps taken to overcome the challenges?

## 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. 1665 BY SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK  SABHA  ON  13.12.2023  REGARDING  RAILWAY  INFRASTRUCTURE  IN WEST BENGAL (a)  to  (c):  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned  Zonal  Railway  wise  and  not State/District-wise as Railway projects may span across State Boundaries. However, Railway have taken up Nabadwipghat- Nabadwipdham New Line Project falling fully/partly in Nadia District. Execution of this project is held up  due  to  delay  in  land  acquisition.  Railway  had  initiated  efforts  for acquisition of land but could not succeed in acquiring land for the project. Support of the Government of West Bengal has been requested to expedite the land acquisition. Moreover,  as  on  01.04.2023,  44  railway  projects  (16  New  line,  04  Gauge Conversion  and  24  Doubling)  of  total  length  4,209  km,  costing  ₹50,915 crore, falling fully/partly in the state of West Bengal including those falling fully/partly in Nadia District are in planning/approval/construction stage, out of  which,  2,033  km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ₹23,298 crore has been incurred upto March, 2023. These include:(i) 16  New  Line  projects  covering  total  length  of  1538  km  at  a  cost  of ₹25,362 crore, out of which 731 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹12,931 crore has been incurred upto March 2023. (ii) 4 Gauge Conversion projects covering total length of 1200 km at a cost of ₹8,168 crore, out of which 855 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹3,650 crore has been incurred upto March 2023. (iii) 24 Doubling projects covering total length of 1,471 km at a cost of ₹17,385 crore, out of which 447 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 6,718 crore has been incurred upto March 2023. Details  of  Railway  projects  i.e.  cost,  expenditure  and  outlays  are  made available in public domain on Indian Railways website.

Railway infrastructural Projects in the State of West Bengal are covered by Eastern  Railway  (ER),  Northeast  Frontier  Railway  (NFR),  South  Eastern Railway (SER), and Metro Kolkata (West-Bengal) of Indian Railways.

Average  annual  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  and  safety  works, falling fully/partly in the State of West Bengal is as under:-

| Year    | Budget Outlay   | % change wrt avg. annual allocation of 2013-14   |
|---------|-----------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| 2013-14 | Rs. 1604 Cr.    | -                                                |
| 2023-24 | Rs. 11970 Cr.   | 646% more                                        |

During 2014-23, 1137 Km sections (113 km of New line, 151 Km of Gauge Conversion and 873 km of Doubling) have been commissioned in the state at an average rate 126.33 km per year.

Railway  acquires  requisite  land  for  a  project  through  State  Government which  assesses  the  compensation  amount  and  advises  to  Railway.  On receipt of demand from the State Government, Railway deposits compensation amount with concerned District Land Acquisition Authorities.

Completion of any Railway project/s depends on various factors like quick land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forestry  clearance  by  officials  of forest  department,  deposition  of  State  share  by  the  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  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 of the project/s.

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