Lok Sabha Question No. 4323 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Railway Infrastructure Development in Koshi-Seemanchal Region
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Rajesh Ranjan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4323

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.03.2025

## RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN KOSHI-SEEMANCHAL REGION

## †4323.   SHRI RAJESH RANJAN:

## Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  made  financial  provision  in  the  financial year 2025-26 for the construction of new railway lines from Kishanganj to Jalalgarh, Tejnarayanpur,  via Ganga  River-Sahebganj  under  the Northeast Fronteir Railway and Kursela-Bihariganj and BiharigangMurliganj-Khurda-Virpur  under  the  East  Central  Railway  for  increasing railway  connectivity  and  regional  development  in  Koshi-Seemanchal region;
- (b) if  so,  the  provision  for  respective  amount  of  funds  made  for  the  said railway routes; and
- (c) if not, the status of construction of the said railway line as on date?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (c): To improve regional connectivity, Bikramshila - Katareah New Line project  (26.23  Km)  costing  ₹2549.17    crore  with  a  Bridge  over  river  Ganga has been sanctioned in August, 2024. This project is in vicinity of Tejnarayanpur  -  Sahibganj  (at  about  35  Km  distance)  which  could  not  be taken forward due to low traffic projections. The outlay for the project has been kept as ₹64.05 crore in FY 2025-26.

Kishanganj - Jalalgarh (50.87 Km) and Kursela - Bihariganj (58 Km) new line projects  were  not  taken  forward  earlier.  However,  based  on  persistent demand of the public, it has been decided to take these projects forward. An allocation of ₹170.8 crore has been provided in FY 2025-26 for these projects.

Further,  survey  for  construction  of  new  line  from  Bihariganj  to  Birpur  via Murliganj, Triveniganj, Khurda, Jadia, Bhimnagar (92 Km) has been sanctioned.

Besides, to improve connectivity in Kosi - Seemanchal Region following other projects are completed/ in progress:-

-  Completed projects:-
1. Sakri  -  Nirmali  and  Saharsa  -  Forbesganj  Gauge  Conversion Project.
2. Kosi Bridge New Line Project.
- 3.
- Katareah - Kursela Doubling Project.
-  On going Projects:-
- 1.
- Supaul - Araria New Line Project.
- 2.
- Araria Galgalia New Line Project.
3. Jogbani Biratnagar New Line Project.
- 4.
- Katihar-Mukuria and Katihar-Kumedpur Doubling Project.

Railway  infrastructure  projects  falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Bihar  are covered  under  East  Central  Railway  (ECR),  Eastern  Railway  (ER),  North Eastern Railway (NER) and Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Zones of Indian Railways.  Zonal  Railway  wise  details  of  Railway  projects  including  cost, expenditure and outlay are made available in public domain.

In  last  3  years  (2021-22,  2022-23,  2023-24  and  current  Financial  Year  i.e. 2024-25), 72 No. Surveys (New line, Gauge Conversion and Doubling/Multitracking)  of  total  length  3,889  Km  falling  fully/partly  in  the state of Bihar have been sanctioned.

As on 01.04.2024, 55 Railway projects (31 New Lines, 02 Gauge Conversions and 22 Doubling), of total length of 5,064 Km, costing ₹79,356 crore falling fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Bihar,  are  at  various  stages  of  planning  and implementation, out of which, 1,194 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 26,983 crore has been incurred upto March, 2024. The summary is as under:-

| Category                |   No. of projects | Total Length (in Km)   | Length Commissioned (in Km)   | Exp upto March 2024 (₹ in cr.)   |
|-------------------------|-------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| New Lines               |                31 | 2,712                  | 464                           | 13,629                           |
| Gauge                   |                 2 | 348                    | 288                           | 1,520                            |
| Doubling/ Multitracking |                22 | 2,005                  | 442                           | 11,834                           |
| Total                   |                55 | 5,064                  | 1,194                         | 26,983                           |

Since  2014,  there  has  been  substantial  increase  in  Budget  allocation  and commensurate  commissioning  of  projects.  Annual  Budget  allocation  for Infrastructure and other works, falling fully/partly in the State of Bihar is as under:-

| Period   | Outlay                         |
|----------|--------------------------------|
| 2009-14  | ₹1,132 crore/year              |
| 2025-26  | ₹10,066 crore (Nearly 9 times) |

Commissioning  of  sections  (New  Line,  Gauge  Conversion  and  Doubling) falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Bihar  during  2009-14  and  2014-2024  is  as under:-

| Period   | New track    | Average commissioning of new tracks   |
|----------|--------------|---------------------------------------|
|          | Commissioned |                                       |
| 2009-14  | 318 Km       | 63.6 Km/year                          |
| 2014-24  | 1,669 Km     | 166.9 Km/year (Nearly 3 times)        |

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