Question : Doubling of Railway Tracks

(a) whether the Railways has decided to convert the broad gauge tracks into double lining in the country including Assam and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Railways has fixed any time frame to complete the same and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details about the work of the double lining of the Hojai-Lumding broad gauge section;

(d) the details about the work of the double lining along the Digaru-Hojai and Bongaigaon-Jogighopa-Guwahati broad gauge section; and

(e) the details about the work of track electrification and doubling of tracks from New Jalpaiguri to Guwahati section?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a): Yes, Madam, Railways have included large number of Doubling projects in recent Budgets. At present, 256 projects of Doubling/3rd/4th line involving a length of 19,908 Km and anticipated cost of `1,84,900 Crore are in different stages of execution. Out of these, 6 projects covering 482 Km and involving an approx. cost of `9,305 Crore lie fully/partly in the State of Assam.
(b): Completion of Railway projects depends upon several factors which includes No Objection Certificate (NOC) from NHAI, land acquisition, forestry clearances, shifting of utilities, canal & electrical crossings etc. Moreover, funds to each project are allocated every year depending on the total budget outlay, progress made in each project and relative priority. Since many of these factors are beyond the control of Ministry of Railways, no time-frame can be fixed for completion of these projects.

(c): Doubling of Hojai-Lumding (44.92 Km) has been taken up at an anticipated cost of `398.93 Crore. An allocation of `100 Crore has been made for this project for the financial year 2017-18.

(d): Doubling of Digaru-Hojai (102 Km) has been taken up at an anticipated cost of `871 Crore. An allocation of `150 Crore has been made for this project for the financial year 2017-18. Similarly, doubling of Bongaigaon-Jogighopa-Guwahati (176 Km) has been taken up at an anticipated cost of `2,232 Crore. An allocation of `250 Crore has been made for this project for the financial year 2017-18.

(e): Electrification of New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati via Rangiya and Goalpara is a sanctioned work. The work for New Jalpaiguri-New Bongaigaon-Rangiya-Guwahati has been entrusted to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) and for New Bongaigaon-Goalpara-Kamakhya, it has been entrusted to Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE) for execution. As regards doubling between New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati, the details are as under:-

New Jalpaiguri-Rani Nagar: Already a double line.

Rani Nagar to New Maynaguri: New Maynaguri-Gumanihat-New Coochbehar-Samuktala Road have been sanctioned. Samuktala Road-New Bongaigaon is already double line.

New Bongaigaon-Goalpara-Kamakhya (doubling) has been sanctioned.

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