Lok Sabha Question No. 1395 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-31
Subject: New Railway Line from Thanjavur to Pattukottai
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Murasoli S

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1395 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2024

## NEW RAILWAY LINE FROM THANJAVUR TO PATTUKOTTAI

1395  SHRI MURASOLI S:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the criteria for introduction of new trains and new stoppages to trains at railway stations; and

(b) whether the Government has any plans for the construction of a new railway  line  from  Thanjavur  to  Pattukottai  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) & (b) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) AND (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1395 BY SHRI MURASOLI S TO BE ANSWERED IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  31.07.2024  REGARDING  NEW  RAILWAY  LINE  FROM THANJAVUR TO PATTUKOTTAI

- (a)  Introduction  of  new  train  services  and  provision  of  stoppage  of  train services  are  on-going  processes  on  Indian  Railways  subject  to traffic justification, operational feasibility, resource availability, competing demands etc.
- (b)      Thanjavur  -  Pattukkottai  (52  Km)  new  line  project  is  a  sanctioned project.  Work  is  held  up  as  no  land  has  been  handed  over  by  State Government of Tamil Nadu for this project.

The completion of any Railway project depends on various factors like quick land  acquisition  by  State  Government,  forestry  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.

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  fund  allocation  and commensurate commissioning of projects in State of Tamil Nadu as under:-

| Period   | Average Outlay   | Increase w.r.t. average allocation of 2009-14   |
|----------|------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹879 crore/year  | -                                               |
| 2023-24  | ₹6,080 crore     | 6.92 times                                      |
| 2024-25  | ₹6,362crore      | 7.23 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.

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