Lok Sabha Question No. 334 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Connection of Sirohi District Headquarters under PM Gati Shakti
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Lumbaram Choudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 334 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2024

## CONNECTION OF SIROHI DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS UNDER PM GATI

## SHAKTI

†334    SHRI LUMBA RAM:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government propose to connect Sirohi district headquarters  with  railway  network  under  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Gati Shakti  Yojana  as  the  district  centre  of  the  aspirational  district  of Sirohi still remains disconnected with the railway network;
- (b) whether the Government is planning to connect Sirohi district center with  the  railway  network  through  Marwar  Bagra  and  Pindbara  as these  areas  are  socially  and  economically  backward  and  require railway network connectivity for the development of this area;
- (c)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  the  district  headquarters  in  the  country  including Rajasthan where there is no rail facility available;
- (e) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to connect all the districts with railway networks; and
- (f)
- if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

*****

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  334  BY  SHRI  LUMBA  RAM  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK SABHA  ON  24.07.2024  REGARDING CONNECTION  OF  SIROHI  DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS UNDER PM GATI SHAKTI

(a)  to  (f):  Railway projects/surveys are not sanctioned State-wise/Districtwise/Region-wise/Constituency-wise,  but  sanctioned  Zone  wise  as  Indian Railways' projects may span across State boundaries/Parliamentary Constituencies. Railway projects are taken up Zonal Railway-wise on the basis  of  remunerativeness,  last  mile  connectivity,  missing  links  and alternate  routes,  augmentation  of  congested/saturated  lines,  demands raised by State Governments, Central Ministries, Members of Parliament, other public representatives,  Railway's  own  operational requirement, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon throwforward of ongoing projects and overall availability of funds. Sanction of New Railway lines  in  areas  which  are  not  connected  by  Railway  network  including district  headquarters  is  a  continuous  and  an  ongoing  process  of  Indian Railways.

As on 01.04.2024, across Indian Railways including Rajasthan, 488 Railway Infrastructure  projects  (187  New  Line,  40  Gauge  Conversion  and  261 Doubling) of total length 44,488 Km, costing approx. ₹ 7.44 lakh crore are in  planning/approval/construction  stage,  out  of  which,  12,045  Km  length has been commissioned and an expenditure of approx. ₹ 2.92 lakh crore has been incurred upto March, 2024. These projects will provide connectivity to unconnected areas with Railway network including District headquarters.

## Rajasthan

As  on  01.04.2024,  32  Railway  infrastructure  projects  (15  new  lines,  05 gauge  conversion  and  12  doubling),  costing  ₹  51814  crore  for  4191  km length falling fully/partly in Rajasthan  are  under  different  stages  of planning/approval/execution.  Out  of  which  1183  km  length  has  been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 14786 crore has been incurred upto March 2024. These include:

-  15  New  Line    Projects  covering  total    length  of    1230  km  at  a  cost of ₹ 20997 crore, out of which 134 km length has been commissioned and  an  expenditure  of  ₹  3593  crore  has  been  incurred  upto  March 2024.
-  05  Gauge Conversion Projects covering total length of  1252 km at a cost of ₹ 8334  crore, out of which  759 km  length has  been commissioned and an expenditure of  ₹ 5398 crore has been incurred upto March 2024.
-  12 Doubling  Projects  covering  total length  of  1709  km at a cost of ₹ 22483 crore, out of which 290 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 5794 crore has been incurred upto March 2024.

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  Budget  allotment  for infrastructure projects and commensurate commissioning. Average annual Budget  allocation  for  infrastructure  projects  and  safety  works,  falling fully/partly in the state of Rajasthan is as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Change wrt average allocation during 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹ 682 Cr./Yr     | -                                              |
| 2023-24  | ₹ 9532 Cr.       | Nearly 14 times                                |

Survey of total 54 projects (23  new  line  and  31  doubling)  of  total  length 4,894 Km falling fully/partly in the State of Rajasthan have been sanctioned during  last  three  years  (2021-22,  2022-23,  2023-24  and  current  Financial Year 2024-25). These surveys include connectivity to unconnected areas with Railway network including District headquarters.

Survey for Sirohi - Marwar Bagra - Pindwara new line (96 Km) has been completed but project could not be taken up due to low traffic projections. However,  Pindwara  and  Marwar  Bagra  are  connected  through  existing Railway Network.

To improve the mobility and cater to the growing traffic demand, the work of doubling between Luni - Samdari - Bhildi (271.97 Km) section costing ₹ 3085.59 crore has been sanctioned in 2023-24.

Also,  double  line  Dedicated  Freight  Corridor  (DFC)  passes  through  Sirohi district of Rajasthan.

Ministry  of  Railways  has  launched  'Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme'  for development of 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, 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 such 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 ballast  less  tracks,  etc.  as  per  necessity,  phasing  and  feasibility  and creation of city centers at the station in the long term.

So  far,  1324  stations  have  been  identified  in  development  under  this scheme  including  Abu  Road  and  Pindwara  stations  falling  under  Sirohi district of Rajasthan.

Zone-wise/year-wise details of all Railway Projects including cost, expenditure  and  outlay  are  made  available  in  public  domain  on  Indian Railways website.

*****