Lok Sabha Question No. 389 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Laying of New Railway Line in Gujarat
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 389 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.11.2024

LAYING OF NEW RAILWAY LINE IN GUJARAT

†389. SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  present  status  of  the  works  related  to  laying  of  new railway  lines,  doubling  and  electrification  of  existing  railway lines and their gauge conversion across the country including Gujarat during the last three years and current year;
- (b) the  project-wise  details  of  the  estimated  cost  and  the  funds allocated and spent;
- (c) whether the Railways has set any target for completion of the said projects; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 389 BY SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI  VASAVA  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 27.11.2024 REGARDING LAYING OF NEW RAILWAY LINE IN GUJARAT

(a) to (d):    As on  01.04.2024, across  Indian Railways  including Gujarat,  488  Railway  Infrastructure  projects  (187  New  Line,  40 Gauge  Conversion  and  261  Doubling)  of  total  length  44,488  Km, costing approx. 7.44 lakh crore are in planning/approval/construction stage, out of which,  12,045  Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of approx. 2.92 lakh crore has been incurred upto March, 2024.

Zone-wise/year-wise  details  of  all  Railway  Projects  including  cost, expenditure  and  outlay  are  made  available  in  public  domain  on Indian Railways website.

The Average Annual Budget allocation for New  Line, Gauge Conversion  and  Doubling  Projects  across  Indian  Railways  is  given below:

| Period   | Average Outlay    | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 11,527 crore/year | -                                               |
| 2024-25  | 68,634 crore      | Nearly 6 times                                  |

The  details  of  commissioning  of  New  Line,  Gauge  Conversion  and Doubling across Indian Railways is given below:-

| Period   | Total Length Commissioned   | Average Length Commissioned   | Increase w.r.t. average commissioning during 2009-14   |
|----------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 7,599 km                    | 4.2 km/day                    | -                                                      |
| 2014-24  | 31,180 km                   | 8.54 km/day                   | More than 2 times                                      |

In  2023-24,  5,309  km  sections  have  been  commissioned  across Indian Railways.

Regarding Electrification,  64,285  Route  km  Broad  Gauge  (BG) network  (97%)  on  Indian  Railways  (IR)  has  been  electrified  so  far which includes and 3,933 km in Gujarat. During the last 3 years and current year, 21,145 Route km has been electrified which includes 2024 Route km in Gujarat.

## GUJARAT

Railway infrastructural Projects in the State of Gujarat are covered by North Western (NW) Railway and Western Railway (WR) Zone of Indian Railways.

As on 01.04.24, 42 projects (06 New Line, 22 Gauge Conversion and 14  Doubling)  of  total  length  2948  Km  costing 30,826 crore falling fully/partly  in  Gujarat  are  in  planning/approval/construction  stage, out  of  which  825  Km  length  has  been  commissioned  and  an expenditure of  9,335 Crore has been incurred upto March, 2024.

Average  Budget  allocation  for  Infrastructure  projects  and  safety works, falling fully/ partly in Gujarat is as under:

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 589 crore/year   | -                                               |
| 2024-25  | 8,743 Cr.        | About 14.84 times                               |

Moreover, Commissioning of sections (New Line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling) falling fully/partly in the State of Gujarat during 200914 and 2014-2024 is as under:

| Period   | Total Commissioning   | Average Commissioning   | Increase w.r.t. average commissioning during 2009-14   |
|----------|-----------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | 660 km                | 132 km/year             | -                                                      |
| 2014-24  | 2,244 km              | 224 km/year             | 1.69 times                                             |

During financial year 2023-24, total 567 km has been commissioned in Gujarat.

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, 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. and all  these  factors  affect  the  completion  time  and  cost  of  the project(s).

Various  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  effective  and  speedy implementation  of  rail  projects  include  (i)  substantial  increase  in allocation of funds, (ii) delegation of powers at field level, (iii) close monitoring of progress of project at various levels (iv) 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.

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