Lok Sabha Question No. 1770 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-27
Subject: Modernization of Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK, SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM, K. KAMARAAJ, K. ASHOK KUMAR, KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI, P. KUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. 1770 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2016

## MODERNIZATION OF RAILWAYS

Ϯ 1770.

SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

SHRI SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM:

DR. K. KAMARAJ:

SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR:

DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI:

SHRI P. KUMAR

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

- (a)    whether the Government is actively considering to modernise Railways system on the pattern of some advanced countries of the world and if so, the details thereof;

- (b) whether  the  Government  has  gathered  any  information  from  these countries to work on the modernisation plan and if so, the details thereof and the likely expenditure on this plan;

- (c) whether the Railways has signed any Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs)  with  other  countries  for  the  modernization  of  Indian  Railways including railway stations in the country  and if so, the details thereof;

- (d) the details of projects identified to be developed under such agreements, State-wise/zone-wise and whether the Railways has appointed any monitoring committee to oversee such MoUs for effective implementation of the agreements and if so, the details thereof;

- (e) whether the Railways is already roping in some 18 State Governments wherein some of the projects would be jointly funded and if so, the details thereof; and

- (f) the further steps taken/being taken by the Government to modernise the Railways?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

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

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1770 BY SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK, SHRI SATISH KUMAR GAUTAM, DR. K. KAMARAJ, SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR, DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI  AND  SHRI  P.  KUMAR  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 27.07.2016  REGARDING MODERNIZATION OF RAILWAYS

(a)  &  (c):    Modernisation  is  an  ongoing  and  continuous  process  on  Indian Railways. In order to obtain latest technical knowhow of the world Railways, Ministry of Railways have signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) for technical  cooperation  with  various  foreign  countries/railways  viz.  France, Germany, Czech Republic, China, South Korea, Canada, Kazakhstan, Slovak Republic,  United  Kingdom,  Japan,  Russia  and  Sweden  which  inter  alia includes modernization of rail infrastructure including railway stations.

(b) & (d): The  ongoing  cooperation  projects  through  the  MoUs  signed between Ministry of Railways and foreign railways/countries include:-

|   S.N | Country     | Projects                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|-------|-------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|     1 | China       | (i) High Speed Rail feasibility study for Delhi-Nagpur section with financing from Chinese side (ii) Feasibility study for upgradation of Speeds to 160 kmph on Chennai-Bengaluru-Mysore corridor with financing from Chinese side.                                                                                                                   |
|     2 | South Korea | Feasibility Study for speed raising of Delhi-Mumbai route to 200 km/h with financing from South Korean side.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|     3 | Japan       | The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project has been taken up for implementation with financial and technical assistance of Japan. Completion Cost of the Project is ` 97,636 Crore, Japanese financial assistance being ` 79,165 crore (81%). An SPV, namely, National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHRC) has been formed to implement the project. |
|     4 | France      | (i) Technical and Execution Study for upgrading the speed of passenger trains between Delhi-Chandigarh upto 200 kmph. (ii) Renovation/development study of Ludhiana and Ambala railway stations.                                                                                                                                                      |
|     5 | Germany     | Feasibility study for High Speed Rail of Chennai-Bangalore- Mysore Section with financing from German side.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|     6 | Spain       | Feasibility study for High Speed Rail of Mumbai-Nagpur Section with financing from Spanish side.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |

For monitoring Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Train Project, a Joint Committee  chaired  by  Vice-Chairman,  NITI  Aayog  and  an  Empowered Committee Chaired by Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs have been formed.

Other  projects  are  at  the  stage  of  feasibility  studies,  which  are monitored regularly by Railway Board.

- (e): Ministry of Railways has approached State Governments to form Joint Venture Companies (JVCs) with Ministry of Railways to undertake mutually identified  rail  infrastructure  projects  for  project  development,  resources mobilization  and  monitoring.  17  State  Governments  have  consented  for formation of JVCs with Ministry of Railways. Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) for setting up Joint Venture companies have been signed  with  Maharashtra,  Odisha,  Andhra  Pradesh,  Kerala,  Chhattisgarh, Telanganga and Haryana. Joint Venture Agreement has been signed with Government of Odisha and Haryana.
- (f): Steps taken  for modernization includes elimination of level crossings & unmanned level crossings, mechanized maintenance of track, introduction  of  new  generation  locomotives,  high  speed  potential  LHB coaches, introduction of train sets, upgradation of suburban coaches, green toilets on all passenger trains, development of modern high pay to tare ratio wagons,  enhancement  of  customer  amenities  at  stations  and  on  trains, feasibility studies of high speed and semi high speed corridors, construction of freight corridors, implementation of electrification, introduction  of  mobile  ticketing  and  trials    of  train  protection  warning system etc.

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