Lok Sabha Question No. 3214 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-11
Subject: Rail and Road Access Routes to Nuclear Power Plants
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Chandra Prakash Joshi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO -3214

ANSWERED ON  11/03/2026

## RAIL AND ROAD ACCESSS ROUTES TO NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

## 3214.   SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the condition of road and rail access routes to various Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) in the country including Rawatbhata is inadequate or not sufficiently robust at several locations;
- (b) if so, the details of the current status of the road and rail connectivity available in the vicinity of all the nuclear power plant, State-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated any infrastructure upgradation plan to ensure rapid access to these nuclear plants during emergency situation and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of the On-site and Off-site Emergency Plans currently in place to effectively execute immediate relief and rescue operations in the event of any untoward incident or disaster; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  established  a  mechanism  for  coordination  with  State Government in order to conduct regular mock drills and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a)  to  (c)  Sites  for  nuclear  power  plants  are  selected  after  detailed  studies  which  include assessment of transport infrastructure, accessibility for heavy equipment, and emergency response requirements.  No systemic inadequacy of road or rail access to these plants has been reported.  Requirements for their augmentation, if any, are taken up with the relevant national / state authorities.
- (d) A detailed Emergency Preparedness Plan, duly approved by the regulatory authority, is in place at all nuclear power plant sites before start of operation of the plants. The plan outlines the actions to be taken in the unlikely event of declaration of an emergency and the  responsibilities  of  various  officials  including  state  government  officials  for implementing them.
- (e) Regular emergency exercises are conducted by the NPP operator and district authorities to  test  the  arrangements  in  place.  Post  Fukushima,  the  entire  mechanism  of  off-site emergency exercises was thoroughly reviewed and with a consultative process, a new exercise  regime  was  evolved  and  put  in  place.    It  envisages  three  types  of  off-site emergency exercises to be carried out by the nuclear facilities to cover various aspects of  management of NRE.  These are Table Top Exercises (TTEx), Mock Exercise Nuclear and Radiological Emergency (ME-NRE) and Integrated Command Control and Response (ICCR) exercises. Each exercise has different objective and frequency. The TTEx is carried out by the operator under the oversight of AERB, once in every 2 years, to test the decision-making capabilities of the operator. The ICCR exercise is carried out by the operator and the district authorities under the oversight of AERB and NDMA, once in every 3 years, to test the overall preparedness and coordination among various stakeholders.

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