(a) whether Railways has decided not to take any action regarding railway project from Sholapur to Jalgaon (454 KM) via Tuljapur, Osmanabad, Kunthalgiri, Beed, Paithan, Aurangabad, Verul, Selod and Ajanta caves after completion of survey of the same;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor; and
(c) if not, the steps taken by the Railways to start construction on this project?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)
(a) to (c): Survey for a new line from Solapur to Jalgaon (454 km) via Tuljapur, Osmanabad, Beed, Paithan, Aurangabad, Verul, Sillod and Ajanta Caves has been completed. The cost of this line has been assessed as `3238 crore with a negative Rate of Return of (-) 5.69%. Due to its unremunerative nature, huge throwforward of ongoing projects, limited availability of funds for new lines and other competing priorities, this project could not be taken forward.
However, to reassess viability of the Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad (80 km) leg, an updating survey has been sanctioned.
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