Lok Sabha Question No. 3207 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Vande Bharat Train from Dibrugarh to Siliguri
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Ranjit Dutta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3207 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2025

## VANDE BHARAT TRAIN FROM DIBRUGARH TO SILIGURI

†3207 SHRI RANJIT DUTTA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal/plan  to  launch  Vande  Bharat  train from Dibrugarh to Siliguri via Vishwanath Chariali in Assam to enhance connectivity in the North-Eastern region, if so, the details thereof; and

- (b)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  to  improve  basic  railway  infrastructure  and services in Assam to boost regional connectivity and economic development?

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCATING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## ANSWER (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  and  (b)  Siliguri  is  located  at  a  distance  of    about  7  km  from  New Jalpaiguri. To  cater to the needs  of the  passengers  of  DibrugarhVishwanath Chariali-New Jalpaiguri sector, 15925/15926 Dibrugarh-Deoghar Express (weekly) has been introduced w.e.f 05.03.2024. Moreover, Dibrugarh-New Jalpaiguri sector is  presently  being  catered  by  13  pairs  of trains.  Besides, introduction of new train services, including Vande Bharat trains  is  an  ongoing  process  on  Indian  Railways  subject  to  operational feasibility, traffic justification, etc.

Besides, Railway Projects are sanctioned and executed Zonal Railway wise and  not  Division  wise/  District  wise/  State  wise,  as  Railway  projects  may span across Division/ District/ State boundaries.

As  on  01.04.2024,  18  Railway  projects  (13  New  Line  and  05  Doubling),  of total length of 1,368 km costing ₹ 74,972 crore falling fully/partly in the North East Region including the State of Assam, are at various stages of planning and  implementation,  out  of  which  313  km  length  has  been  commissioned and  an  expenditure  of ₹ 40,549  crore  has  been  incurred  upto  March  2024. These include:-

| Plan Head   |   No. of projects |   Total Length (in Km) |   Length Commissioned (in Km) | Exp upto March 2024 ( ₹ in Cr.)   |
|-------------|-------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| New Lines   |                13 |                    896 |                            81 | 34,616                            |
| Doubling    |                 5 |                    472 |                           232 | 5,933                             |
| Total       |                18 |                   1368 |                           313 | 40,549                            |

Commissioning of infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the North East Region including the State of Assam, is given below:-

| Period   | New Track Commissioned   | Average Commissioning of new tracks   |
|----------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 333 Km                   | 66.6 Km/year                          |
| 2014-24  | 1728 Km                  | 172.8 Km/year (Nearly 3 times )       |

Average  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  projects  and  other  works, falling fully/ partly in North East Region, is as under:-

| Period   | Outlay                          |
|----------|---------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹ 2,122 Crore/year              |
| 2024-25  | ₹ 10,376 Crore (Nearly 5 times) |

The completion of any Railway project 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,  priority  of projects,  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.

Various steps taken by the Government for speedy approval and implementation  of  Railway  projects  include  (i)  setting  up  of  Gati  Shakti units  (ii)  prioritisation  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  the  rate  of commissioning since 2014.

Development/upgradation of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement,  subject  to  inter-se  priority  and  availability  of  funds.  The priority  for  development/upgradation  of  stations  is  accorded  to  higher category  of  station  over  lower  category  of  station  while  sanctioning  and executing the works.

Ministry  of  Railways  has  launched  'Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme'  for development of Railway 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, platform surfacing and cover over platform, cleanliness, free WiFi,  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 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 ballastless tracks, etc as per necessity phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term.

So  far  1337  stations  have  been  identified  for  development  under  Amit Bharat Station Scheme out of which 50 stations are located in the state of Assam.  The  names  of  stations  identified  for  development  under  Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the state of Assam are as following:

| State   |   No. of Amrit Stations | Names of Amrit Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|---------|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Assam   |                      50 | Amguri, Arunachal, Chaparmukh, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Diphu, Duliajan, Fakiragram Jn., Gauripur, Gohpur, Golaghat, Gosai gaon halt, Haibargaon, Harmuti, Hojai, Jagiroad, Jorhat Town, Kamakhya, Kokrajhar, Lanka, Ledo, Lumding, Majbat, Makum Jn, Margherita, Mariani, Murkeongselek, Naharkatiya, Nalbari, Namrup, Narangi, New Bongaigaon, New Haflong, New Karimganj. New Tinsukia, North Lakhimpur, Pathsala, Rangapara North, Rangiya Jn, Sarupathar, Sibsagar Town, Silapathar, Silchar, Simaluguri, Tangla, Tinsukia, Udalguri, Viswanath Chariali, Guwahati |

Development / upgradation / modernisation of stations including under Amrit Bharat Station  Scheme is generally funded under Plan Head-53 'Customer Amenities'.  The  details  of  allocation  and  expenditure  under  Plan  Head-53 are  maintained  Zonal  Railway-wise.  The  state  of  Assam  is  covered  under Northeast  Frontier  Railway.  For  this  zone,  an  allocation  of ₹ 547  Crores (Revised Estimate) has been made for the financial year 2024-25 under Plan Head-53.

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