(a) whether the Government has any scheme/proposal for doubling and electrification of the 87 km long railway line between Bhatinda and Ferozepur Cantonment in Punjab;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which the said work is likely to be started and completed;
(c) the total amount likely to be spent on the scheme; and
(d) whether any provision has been made in the budget for the year 2018-19 in this regard and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 342 BY SHRI MOHAMMAD SADIQUE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 17.07.2019 REGARDING DOUBLING/ ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY LINES.
(a) to (d) Doubling/3rd Line/4th Line projects are sanctioned on the basis of operational requirement of Railways including capacity constraints in existing single line. Accordingly, Engineering-cum-Traffic Survey for doubling of Bhatinda and Ferozepur was conducted in 2015-16.
As per Data of Survey report, capacity of single line is not fully utilized. Capacity utilization of Ferozepur Cantt. – Kotkapura section was only 65% and Kotkapura-Bhatinda section was only 90% with maintenance block in 2017-18.
Electrification of existing single line of Bhatinda–Ferozepur has been sanctioned at a cost of 223.93 crore in September, 2018. The work is planned for completion by March, 2022.
With completion of electrification, section capacity will further increase. Therefore, doubling of Bhatinda to Ferozepur was not carried forward.
However, Railways have its main focus on capacity enhancement projects i.e. Doubling/3rd Line/4th Line. During last four years (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 & 2018-19), 158 projects totaling 14,540 km have been included in the Budget which are in various stages of planning/ approval/execution.
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