Lok Sabha Question No. 4593 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Status of Wardha-Akola-Bhusaval Section
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4593

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025

## STATUS OF WARDHA-AKOLA-BHUSAVAL SECTION

## 4593.   SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the current status of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of the third and fourth lines on the Wardha-AkolaBhusaval section;
- (b) the  expected  timeline  for  completion  of  the  project  considering  the results of the DPR examination;
- (c) whether  the  project  has  received  all  necessary  environmental  and statutory  clearances  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the reason therefor along with the current stage of approval;
- (d) whether the  fund  has  been  sanctioned  for  the  project  and  if  so,  the details thereof along with the estimated cost of the project as per the DPR; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  possible  impact  on  travel  time  and  connectivity  in the Vidarbha and Khandesh regions upon completion of the project?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (e): Final Location Survey (FLS) for Bhusaval - Akola - Wardha 3 rd  & 4 th line  (314  km)  has  been  sanctioned  for  preparation  of  Detailed  Project Report (DPR). The physical survey been completed and the DPR has been prepared.

After firming up of DPR, sanctioning of project requires consultation with various stake-holders including State Governments and necessary approvals  viz. appraisal of NITI Aayog,  Ministry of Finance  etc.  As sanctioning  of  projects  is  a  continuous  and  dynamic  process,  exact timelines cannot be fixed.

The project  will  enhance  line  capacity,  provide  additional  passenger  and freight  traffic,  enable  faster  movement  of  goods  and  services,  reduce operational bottlenecks, improve logistics efficiency, increase in direct and indirect  employment  opportunities  for  the  people  of  the  region,  develop tourism industry and increase industrial activities in the region.

Indian Railways has immediately imbibed the principles of Gati Shakti in its project planning process, expediting appraisal, sanction and execution of projects. On ground survey, route alignment, deciding alternative route to avoid  passing  through  forest  and  wildlife  areas,  connectivity  to  ports, mines, collieries  is  done  through  PM  Gati  Shakti Institutional  mechanism developed  by  BISAG-N.  This  has  led  to  enhancement  in  the  quality  of preparation of Detailed Project Report and reduction in project cost.

Now survey of all New Line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling projects are taken  up  under  PM  Gati  Shakti  Institutional  mechanism  developed  by BISAG-N for the development of multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various  Economic  Zones  with  an  objective  to  have  integrated  planning, enhanced logistics efficiency, first  and  last  mile  connectivity,  throughout enhancement and remove gaps for seamless movement of people, goods/ commodities  i.e.  agricultural  products,  fertilizers,  coal,  iron  ore,  steel, cement,  limestone etc.

Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors like quick 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  etc.  All  these  factors  affect  the completion time and cost of the project/s.

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