Lok Sabha Question No. 904 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-07
Subject: Vijayawada-Gudur Project
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Balashowry Vallabbhaneni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.904 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2024

## VIJAYAWADA - GUDUR PROJECT

## 904.   SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :

- (a) the reasons that in spite of approving Vijayawada -Gudur project in April, 2015 and its anticipated completion in December, 2023, the project is yet to be completed;
- (b) whether it is true there is huge cost overrun of the project and if so, the details of original cost and the final anticipated cost; and
- (c) the anticipated date of completion of the above project?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS 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.904 BY SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  07.02.2024 REGARDING VIJAYAWADA-GUDUR PROJECT (a)  to  (c):  Vijaywada-  Gudur  3rd  line  (287  Km)  work  was  approved  in 2016-17  for  a  length  of  287  Km.  Total  184  km  third  line  has  been commissioned  and  opened  for  traffic.    Another  50  km  is  planned  for commissioning  by  the  end  of  the  current  financial  year.  The  balance works has been taken up. There is only a general cost escalation on the project against labour, material and machinery. 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 Andhra  Pradesh  is  held  up  due  to  delay  in  land  acquisition  and  only about 2023 Hectare land has been acquired out of total requirement of about 4373 Hectare. Railway had initiated efforts for acquisition of land but  could  not  succeed  in  acquiring  land  for  projects.  Support  of  the Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  is needed  to expedite the land acquisition. In  the  ongoing  cost  sharing  projects  in  Andhra  Pradesh,  out  of  total share of 7959 crore, only 870 crore has been deposited by Government of Andhra Pradesh. Completion/Execution 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. and all these factors affect the execution and completion time of the project/s.

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 Andhra Pradesh is as under:

| Year      | Budget outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average annual allocation during 2009-14   |
|-----------|-----------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-2014 | ₹886 cr/year    | -                                                          |
| 2023-2024 | ₹8406 cr        | More than 9 times                                          |

Commissioning of infrastructure projects falling fully/partly in the state of Andhra Pradesh is as under:

| Period   | Total Length Commissioned   | Average Length Commissioned   | change w.r.t. average commissioning during 2009-14   |
|----------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 363 km                      | 72.6 km/Year                  | -                                                    |
| 2014-23  | 1,266 km                    | 140.67 km/Year                | Approx 2 times                                       |

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