Lok Sabha Question No. 1101 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-26
Subject: Ongoing Railway Projects in Odisha
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Ramesh Chandra Majhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1101 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.07.2023

## ONGOING RAILWAY PROJECTS IN ODISHA

## 1101. SHRI RAMESH CHANDRA MAJHI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  ongoing  railway  projects  in  the  country especially  in  Odisha  including  Nabarangapur  and  Malkangiri Parliamentary Constituency, project/area-wise;
- (b) the details of the targets fixed  for  development  of  new lines/gauge  conversion/doubling  projects  in  Odisha  including Nabarangapur and Malkangiri Parliamentary constituency during the current year;
- (c) the  details  of  the  funds  allocated  for  the  development  of railway projects in Odisha in the budget during 2023-24;
- (d) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Railways  to  speed  up these pending railway projects in Odisha;
- (e) the  details  of  the  projects  out  of  the  above  that  are  lagging behind the schedule; and
- (f) the time by which these projects are likely to be completed?

## 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.  1101  BY  SHRI  RAMESH  CHANDRA MAJHI TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 26.07.2023 REGARDING ONGOING RAILWAY PROJECTS IN ODISHA

(a) to (f): The  Railway  projects  are  sanctioned/executed  Zonal Railway wise and not State-wise/Parliamentary Constituencywise/Area-wise  as  the  Railways'  projects  may  span  across  State boundaries.

As  on  01.04.2023,  across  Indian  Railways  including  Odisha,  459 Railway Infrastructure projects (189 New Line, 39 Gauge Conversion and 231 Doubling) of total length 46,360 Km, costing approx. ` 7.18 lakh crore are in planning/sanction/construction stage, out of which, 11,872  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of approx. ` 2.61 lakh crore has been incurred upto March, 2023.

## Odisha:

As on 01.04.2023, 35 Projects (12 New Lines, 1 Gauge Conversion and 22 Doubling) of  total length 4,257 Km, costing ` 52,189 crore, falling  fully/partly  in  Odisha  including  those  falling  fully/partly  in Nabarangapur  and  Malkangiri  Parliamentary  Constituency  are  in planning/sanction/construction stage, out of which, 1184 Km length has  been  commissioned  and  an  expenditure  of ` 20,141  crore  has been incurred upto March, 2023.

Railway  Infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  Odisha  are covered  by  East  Coast  Railway,  South  Eastern  Railway  and  South East Central Railway zones of Indian Railway.  Zonal Railway wise details  of  Railway  projects  including  cost,  expenditure  and  outlay are made available in public domain on Indian Railways website i.e.

www.indianrailways.gov.in >Ministry of  Railways > Railway  Board > About  Indian  Railways  > Railway Board Directorates >Finance (Budget) >Rail Budget/Pink Book  (Year)> Railway wise  Works Machinery and Rolling Stock Programme.

Since 2014, there has been substantial increase in fund allocation and  commensurate  commissioning  of  Projects.  Average  Annual Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  projects  and  safety  works, falling  fully/  partly  in  State  of  Odisha,  during  2014-19  has  been enhanced  to ` 4,126  crore  per  year,  which  is  392%  more  than  the Average  Annual  Budget  allocation  of ` 838  crore  per  year  during 2009-14.   The  allocation  has  been increased  to ` 4,568  crore  in Financial Year 2019-20 (445% more than the Average Annual Budget allocation of 2009-14), ` 5,296 crore in Financial Year 2020-21 (532% more than the Average Annual Budget allocation of 2009-14), ` 6,471 crore  for  Financial  Year  2021-22  (672%  more  than  the  Average Annual Budget allocation of 2009-14) and ` 9,734 crore  for Financial Year  2022-23  (which  is  1062%  more  than  the  Average  Annual Budget  outlay  of  2009-14).  For  FY  2023-24,  highest  ever  budget outlay of ` 10,012 crore has been provided for these works, which is 1095%  more  than  average  annual  budget  allocation  of  2009-14. ( ` 838 Crore/Year)

The  completion  of  any  Railway  project(s)  depends  on  various factors  like  quick  land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forest clearance by officials of forest department, deposition of cost share by State  Government  in  cost sharing projects, shifting of infringing ..P/3

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 and cost of the project(s), which is finally worked out at the completion stage.

Various  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  effective  and speedy implementation of rail projects include (i) setting up of Gati Shakti units (ii) prioritization of projects (iii) substantial increase in allocation of funds on priority projects (iv) delegation of powers at field level (v) close  monitoring  of  progress  of project at various levels,  and  (vi)  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. This has led to substantial increase in rate of commissioning since 2014.

During 2014-23, 1,583 km sections (384 Km New Line and 1,199 Km Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Odisha  have  been commissioned  at  an  average  rate  175.89  Km  per  year,  which  is 229% more than commissioning during 2009-14 (53.4 Km/year).

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