(a) the time by which the pending works mentioned in the Pink Book could be completed;
(b) whether the Railways has not allocated funds for setting up of a wagon factory in Buniadpur, West Bengal;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the time by which the wagon factory is likely to be established?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)
(a): The completion of Railway projects requires clearances from various departments of State Government and Central Ministries like acquisition of land, statutory clearances like forestry and wild life clearances, cutting of trees, shifting of services, construction of road over bridges and road under bridges by road maintaining agencies, NOC from State Irrigation Department and Power Corporations, law & order issues like protests against compensation to land losers, public agitation over alignment, extremism and naxalite problems etc., which are beyond the control of Ministry of Railways.
Moreover, the funds for completion of projects are allocated on yearly basis depending on the total budget outlay, progress made in each project and relative priority. Therefore, it is not feasible to fix time lines for completion of pending works mentioned in the Pink Book.
(b) to (d): A wagon manufacturing factory at Buniyadpur was sanctioned in 2010-11. However, existing wagon manufacturing capacity, including both private and public sector units, is adequate to meet the current demand for new wagons based on traffic projections. In view of the above, Railways have not commenced this work and no amount has been allocated for this work during the year 2017-18.
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