Lok Sabha Question No. 324 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Construction of Chennai Beach to Chennai Egmore Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Sasikanth Senthil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 324 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2024

CONSTRUCTION OF CHENNAI BEACH TO CHENNAI EGMORE RAILWAY LINE

324.  SHRI SASIKANTH SENTHIL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) the  time  by  which  the  construction  of  fourth  line  between Chennai  Beach  to  Chennai  Egmore  will  be  completed  as  the deadline  to  complete  the  project  was  a  period  of  7  months starting 27th August, 2023;
- (b) whether the Government enumerate as to how many passengers in Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu and Velachery suburban sections are affected due to reduction of suburban services (54 services) from 14.07.2023 in the Suburban time table; and
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this  regard  to  help  the passengers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING 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. 324 BY SHRI SASIKANTH SENTHIL TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 24.07.2024 REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF CHENNAI BEACH TO CHENNAI EGMORE RAILWAY LINE

(a)  to  (c):  Chennai  Beach-Chennai Egmore  4 th   line  (4.3  Km)  has  been sanctioned  at  a  cost  of 280  crore.  Total  outlay  of 143.6  crore  has been  provided to the project for Financial Year  2024-25. Total expenditure of  167.5 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024. Out of total extent of 0.51 Ha land, only 0.33 Ha land has been acquired.

The  completion  of  any  Railway  project  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 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. With above constraints, every effort is being made to execute the project(s) expeditiously.

Railway infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil  Nadu  are  covered  under  Southern  Railway  (SR),  South  Central Railway  (SCR)  and  South  Western  Railway  (SWR)  zone  of  Indian Railways.

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  Budget allocation  and  commensurate  commissioning  of  projects.  Budget allocation for infrastructure and safety projects falling fully/ partly in the State of Tamil Nadu has been enhanced to highest at  6,362 crore this year which is nearly seven times of the budget allocation of  922 crore in 2013-14.

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

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 879 crore/year   | -                                               |
| 2023-24  | 6,080 crore      | nearly 7 times                                  |

Though  fund  allocation  has  increased  manifold  but  pace  of execution  of  project  is  dependent  on  expeditious  land  acquisition. Railway acquires the land through State Government. State Government  assesses  the  compensation  amount  and  advises  to Railway.  On  receipt  of  demand  from  State  Government,  Railway deposits compensation amount with concerned District Land acquisition  Authority.  Execution  of  important  infrastructure  projects falling fully/partly in the State of Tamil Nadu is held up due to delay in land acquisition and only about 807 Ha land has been acquired out of total  requirement  of  about  2749 Ha.  Railway  had  initiated  efforts  for acquisition  of  land  but  could  not  succeed  in  acquiring  land  for projects.  Support  of  the  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  is  needed  to expedite the land acquisition.

During 2014-24, 1302 km sections (39 km New Line, 456 Km of Gauge Conversion  and  807  km  of  Doubling)  falling  fully/partly  in  the State of Tamil Nadu have been commissioned at an average rate 130.2 km per year.

The  delay  in  land  acquisition  for  construction  of  the  4.3  km stretch  of  4 th   line  between  Chennai  Beach  and  Chennai  Egmore  for completion of the project, is leading to the delay in the restoration of Suburban services on Thiruvalluavar-Velachery-Chegalpattu section.

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