Lok Sabha Question No. 2622 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-11
Subject: Pending Projects/Proposals for Thawe Junction, Bihar
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. Alok Kumar Suman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2622 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2024

## PENDING PROJECTS/PROPOSALS FOR THAWE JUNCTION, BIHAR

2622.  DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  basic  amenities  of  all  the  Railway  stations  lying outside  the  metropolitan  cities  of  the  States  are  not  maintained particularly at Thawe junction in Bihar;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the projects/proposals of Railway given for Thawe junction are still pending and if so, the details thereof and to stipulated time for completion of all projects/proposals given for the said junction;

(d) whether the proposals for running of trains from the said junction are pending despite commercial feasibility of passengers and if so, the details thereof and the pending proposals/projects for the said junction;

(e)  whether  the  proposal  regarding  double  line  track  connecting  to Thawe junction is pending in the Government since long and no action taken  to  provide  doubling  of  line  of  said  junction,  if  so,  the  details thereof and the reasons therefor; and (f)  the  details  about  the  proposal  relating  to  doubling  of  line  at  said

- junction pending in the Government?

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

(a)  to  (f)  Ministry  of  Railways  has  launched  'Amrit  Bharat  Station Scheme' for development of Railway stations on Indian Railways. This scheme envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach.

It  involves  preparation  of  Master  Plans  and  their  implementation  in phases to improve the amenities at the stations like improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, platform surfacing and cover over platform, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes like 'One Station One Product', better passenger information systems, Executive Lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.

The scheme also envisages improvement of building, integrating the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision  of  ballastless  tracks,  etc.  as  per  necessity,  phasing  and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term.

So far,  1337  station  have  been  identified  under  Amrit  Bharat  Station Scheme,  out  of  which  98  stations,  including  Thawe  station,  are located  in  the  state  of  Bihar.  The  names  of  stations  identified  for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the state of Bihar are as following:

| State   |   No. of Stations | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Bihar   |                98 | Anugraha Narayan Road, Ara, Arariya Court, Bakhtiyarpur, Banka, Banmankhi, Bapudham Motihari, Barahiya, Barauni, Barh, Barsoi Jn, Begusarai, Bettiah, Bhabua Road, Bhagalpur, Bhagwanpur, Bihar Sharif, Bihiya, Bikramganj, Buxar, Chakia, Chausa, Chhapra, Dalsingh Sarai, Darbhanga, Dauram Madhepura, Dehri On Sone, Dholi, Dighwara, Dumraon, Durgauti, Ekma, Fatuha, Gaya, Ghorasahan, Guraru, Hajipur Jn, Jamalpur, Jamui, Janakpur Road, Jaynagar, Jehanabad, Jhanjharpur, Kahalgaon, Karhagola |

| Road, Katihar, Khagaria Jn, Kishanganj, Kudra, Labha, Laheria Sarai, Luckeesarai, Lakhminia, Madhubani, Maheshkhunt, Mairwa, Mansi Jn, Mashrakh, Mokama, Munger, Muzaffarpur, Motipur, Nabinagar Road, Narkatiaganj, Naugachia, Nawadah, Paharpur, Patliputra, Patna, Piro, Pirpainti, Rafiganj, Raghunathpur, Rajendra Nagar, Rajgir, Ram Dayalu Nagar, Raxaul, Sabaur, Sagauli, Saharsa, Sahibpur Kamal, Sakri, Salauna, Salmari, Samastipur, Sasaram, Shahpur Patoree, Shivanarayanpur, Simri Bakhtiyarpur, Simultala, Sitamarhi, Siwan, Sonpur Jn, Sultanganj, Supaul, Taregna, Thakurganj, Thawe   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

When a station is constructed, certain minimum amenities should be provided  at  each  category  of  station  (on  the  basis  of  projected traffic/earnings). These are called Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA). The  required  Minimum  Essential  Amenities  have  been  provided  at Thawe station. Further, provision / upgradation of passenger amenities at railway stations is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this  regard  are  undertaken  as  per  requirement,  subject  to  inter-se priority and availability of funds. However, priority for upgradation/development/  redevelopment  of  stations  is  accorded  to higher  category  of  station  over  lower  category  of  station  while sanctioning and executing the works.

For development works at Thawe station under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme,  tenders  have  been  awarded  and  works  of  extension  of platforms, improvement of platform surfacing, platform shelters, toilets, circulating area, parking facilities, approach road improvement, etc. have been taken up.

The details of allocation of funds for development and maintenance of stations are  maintained  Zonal  Railway-wise  under  Plan  Head-53 'Customer Amenities' and not work-wise or Station-wise or State/UTwise. The state of Bihar is covered by four zones viz. Eastern Railway, East  Central  Railway,  North  Eastern  Railway  and  Northeast  Frontier Railway. The allocation for the financial year 2024-25 for these zones is Rs 2,166 Crores.

Further,  development/redevelopment/upgradation  of  Railway  Stations is  complex  in  nature  involving  safety  of  passengers  &  trains  and requires various statutory clearances such as fire clearance, heritage, tree  cutting,  airport  clearance,  etc.  The  progress  also  gets  affected due  to  brownfield  related  challenges  such  as  shifting  of  utilities, (involving  water/sewage  lines,  optical  fibre  cables,  gas  pipe  lines, power/signal  cables  etc.),  infringements,  operation  of  trains  without hindering  passenger  movement,  speed  restrictions  due  to  works carried out in close proximity of tracks and high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors affect the completion time. Therefore, no time frame can be indicated at this stage.

Presently, Thawe Junction is being catered by 30 train services which include 06 Mail/Express services. In addition to these regular services, 03215/16  Thawe-  Patna  Special  is  also  catering  to  the  said  station. Besides, introduction of new train services is an on-going process on Indian Railways subject to operational feasibility, traffic justification, availability of resources, etc.

Railway  projects  are  surveyed/sanctioned/executed  Zonal  Railwaywise and not State-wise as the railway projects may span across state boundaries. Railway projects are sanctioned on the basis of remunerativeness,  traffic  projections,  last  mile  connectivity,  missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, demands raised by State Governments, Central Ministries, Members of Parliament,  other  public  representatives,  Railway's  own  operational requirement,  socio-economic  considerations,  etc.  depending  upon throwforward of ongoing projects and overall availability of funds.

Thawe  Junction  is  already  well  connected  with  railway  network. However, to further improve the connectivity, a Byepass line of length 1.1  Km  at  Thawe  Junction  connecting  Gopalganj  and  Sasamusa railway stations has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 9.89 Crores.

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