Lok Sabha Question No. 315 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Budget allocation to speed up Nadikudi–Srikalahasti Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.315 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2024

## BUDGET ALLOCATION TO SPEED UP NADIKUDI-SRIKALAHASTI RAILWAY LINE

315  SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is enhancing budget allocation to expedite Nadikudi - Srikalahasti new railway line in Andhra Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.315  BY  SHRI  MADDILA  GURUMOORTHY TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  24.07.2024  REGARDING BUDGET ALLOCATION TO SPEED UP NADIKUDI-SRIKALAHASTI RAILWAY LINE

(a)  to  (c):  Nadikudi-Srikalahasti  (309  km)  new  line  project  has  been sanctioned    on  cost  sharing  basis  with  Govt.  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  in which Govt. of Andhra Pradesh has to provide land free of cost and share 50% construction cost of project.

Cost of the project is ₹3,122  cr and an expenditure of ₹1,669.03 cr has been incurred till March 2024. An outlay of ₹450 crore has been proposed  for  the  financial  year  2024-25  against  the  outlay  of  202 crore given in financial year 2023-24. Out of 309 km of project length, 74  km  from  Nadikudi  to  Darsi    has  been  commissioned.  Work  is  in progress in stretches where land is available.

Till  March'24, Government of Andhra Pradesh has deposited only ₹6 crore towards their share in the project. Out of total scope of 2216 Ha.  of  land  acquisition,  only  1466  Ha.  have  been  handed  over  and balance 750 Ha. is yet to be handed over.

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                                          |

………..2/-

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                  | -                                                    |
| 2014-24  | 1,510 km                    | 151 km/Year                   | More than 2 times                                    |

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.

****