Question : Saharsa-Saraigarh Rail Line

(a) whether Saharsa to Saraigarh Mapariyahi (Bihar), East Railway metre gauge line has been closed for gauge conversion in the year 2016 and if so, the facts thereof;

(b) whether due to scarcity and under allocation of funds only 20 km construction work has been completed so far and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the time-limit set by the Government for gauge conversion of this section; and

(d) whether the Government would allocate sufficient funds to complete the work of gauge conversion of this important railway line and if so, the details in this regard?

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 UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3917 BY SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 17.07.2019 REGARDING SAHARSA-SARAIGARH RAIL LINE.

(a) to (d): Saharsa-Saraigarh section is a part of Sakri-Jhanjharpur-Nirmali, Jhanjharpur-Laukaha Bazar & Saharsa-Sarayagarh-Forbesganj (206 Kms) Gauge Conversion project, falling under jurisdiction of East Central Railway. This project was sanctioned in 2003-04 and latest estimated cost is ?1470.50 Cr. against which ?594.75 Cr. has been spent upto March 2019 and sufficient outlay of ?150 Cr. has been allotted to the project during 2019-20. 27 Km work has also been completed.
There is no such station named Mapariyahi in Saharsa-Sarayagarh section. Traffic block has been taken for Therbitia-Raghopur section on 01.12.2015 and for Saharsa –Therbitia section on 25.12.2016.
Execution of work on entire section has been taken up. So far, Sakri-Mandan Mishra Halt (11 Km) and Saharsa-Garhbaruari (16 Km) sections have been commissioned and works have been taken up on remaining sections.
The timely completion of any Railway project depends on various factors like 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 considerations, 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 affect the completion time and cost of the project, which is finally worked out at the completion stage. Therefore, no confirmed time frame can be fixed for completion of this project at this stage.
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