Lok Sabha Question No. 2775 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-20
Subject: Completion of Khamgaon-Jalna Railway Route
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Prataprao  Jadhav, Sudheer Gupta, Shrirang Appa Barne, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2775 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2023

## COMPLETION OF KHAMGAON-JALNA RAILWAY ROUTE

2775. SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  survey  regarding  final  location  of  railway  route  from Khamgaon-Jalna in Buldhana area of Maharashtra has been completed and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the detailed Project Report in this regard has been prepared and submitted to the Railways and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  it  is  true  that  despite  being  started  in  the  year  2004  and having all the formalities completed, this project is still pending with the Railway Board;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  people  of  Buldhana  are suffering a lot in the wake of non-completion of this railway route and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the steps taken by the Government to complete the said route as soon as possible?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2775  BY  SHRI  PRATAPRAO  JADHAV, SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA, SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE, SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO  MANDLIK  AND  SHRI  DHAIRYASHEEL  SAMBHAJIRAO MANE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 20.12.2023 REGARDING COMPLETION OF KHAMGAON-JALNA RAILWAY ROUTE

(a) to (f): Final Location Survey (FLS) for Jalna - Khamgaon new line (155  km)  in  the  State  of  Maharashtra  has  been  sanctioned.  The survey work has been completed and Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation work has been taken up.

Further, as on 01.04.2023, 34 Railway infrastructure projects (16 New Line, 02 Gauge Conversion and 16 Doubling), of total length of 5,872  km  costing  ₹80,184  crore  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of Maharashtra  are  in  planning/  approval/  construction  stages,  out  of which 1,421 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹23,964 crore has been incurred upto March 2023. These include-

- (i) 16 New Line projects of total length of 2,017 km costing ₹38,423 crore, out of which 93 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹6,052 crore has been incurred upto March 2023.
- (ii) 2  Gauge  Conversion  projects  of  total  length  of  580  km  costing ₹7,339 crore, out of which 283 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹2,791 crore has been incurred upto March 2023.
- (iii) 16 Doubling projects of total length of 3,275 km costing ₹34,422 crore, out of which 1045 km length has been commissioned and an  expenditure  of  ₹15,121  crore  has  been  incurred  upto  March 2023.

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  the  state  of  Maharashtra  is  as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay    | Percentage more as compared to average allocation during 2009-14   |
|----------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹1,171 crore/year | -                                                                  |
| 2023-24  | ₹13,539 crore     | 1056% more                                                         |

During 2014-23, 1,472 km sections (147 km New Line, 136 km Gauge Conversion and 1,189 km Doubling), falling fully/partly  in the State of Maharashtra, have been commissioned at an average rate of 163.56  km  per  year,  which  is  180%  more  than  average  annual commissioning during 2009-14 (58.4 km/year).

Total  74  surveys  (14  new  line,  02  gauge  conversion  and  58 doubling) covering total length of 5,719 km falling fully/ partly in the State  of  Maharashtra  have  been  sanctioned  during  last  three  years (2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23) and current financial year.

Completion 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.  All  these  factors  affect  the  completion  time  of  the project/s.

Various steps taken by the Government for effective and speedy implementation  of  rail  projects  include  (i)  substantial  increase  in allocation of funds, (ii) delegation of powers at field level, (iii) close monitoring of progress of project at various levels (iv) regular follow up with State Governments and concerned authorities for expeditious land  acquisition,  forestry  and  Wildlife  clearances  and  for  resolving other issues pertaining to projects.

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