(a) the details of the works relating to doubling of railway lines being done at present across the country including Gujarat;
(b) the funds allocated/released/utilized for doubling of railway lines in Gujarat during the last three years along with the names of railway lines; and
(c) the details of doubling of railway lines likely to be completed in Gujarat in the current financial year?
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 499 BY SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.02.2020 REGARDING DOUBLING OF RAILWAY LINES IN GUJARAT
(a): Presently, Indian Railways have taken up 255 Doubling Projects of 20,500 km length and costing `2.32 lakh crore, which are in different stages of execution/planning/sanction, out of which, commissioning of 2,784 km length has been achieved and expenditure of `48,342 crore has been incurred up to March, 2019.
Above 255 Doubling Projects include 12 Doubling Projects of 907 km length and costing `6524 crore, falling fully/partly in the State of Gujarat. Out of which, commissioning of 131 km length has been achieved and expenditure of `2,656 crore has been incurred up to March, 2019.
(b): The details of Railway projects including allotment of fund and expenditure, project-wise are made available in public domain on Indian Railways website i.e. www.indianrailways.gov.in >Ministry of Railways >Railway Board >About Indian Railways >Railway Board Directorates >Finance (Budget).
Average Budget allocation (in Infrastructure projects & safety works) has been enhanced to `3,327 crore per year (from 2014-15 to 2018-19) from `589 crore per year (from 2009-10 to 2013-14). The average budget allocation during (2014-19) is 465% more as compared to average allocation of previous five years (2009-14).
Total allocation of Budget for infrastructure projects & safety works falling fully/ partly in State of Gujarat, in 2019-20 is `4803 crore which is 716% more than the average of 2009-14.
(c): The completion of any Railway project depends on various factors like quick land acquisition by State Government, forest clearance by officials of forest department, shifting of infringing utilities (both underground and over ground), statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area of project site, number of working months in a year for particular project site due to climatic conditions, encountering unforeseen conditions like earthquake, flooding, excessive rains, strikes of labour, orders of Hon’ble Courts, situation and conditions of working agencies/contractors etc. and all these factors vary from project to project and site to site. Hence, no confirmed time frame can be fixed for completion of projects.
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