Question : Gauge Conversion

(a) whether the Railways has received representations from the various organizations/road users as well as from the Government of Gujarat for gauge conversion;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government thereon and the time by which the gauge conversion works are likely to be taken up;

(c) whether the work of gauge conversion of Ankleshwar-Rajpipla railway line has been taken up and if so, the time frame for completion of the project;

(d) the number of surveys proposed for gauge conversion of railway lines in Gujarat during the last five years i.e. during 2011-12 to 2016-17; and

(e) the number of surveys of gauge conversion that have been started and completed and the number of construction of gauge conversion projects that have been started?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2657 BY DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI AND SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 03.01.2018 REGARDING GAUGE CONVERSION


(a) & (b): Requests for doubling, both formal and informal, are received by Railways at various levels i.e. Railway Board, Zonal Railways and Divisional Headquarters, etc. As receipt of such requests/suggestions is a continuous and dynamic process, centralized compendium of such requests is not maintained.

(c): Gauge conversion Ankleshwar-Rajpipla section (62.89 km) has already been completed and commissioned.

(d) & (e): Surveys for 11 gauge conversion projects falling fully/partly in the state of Gujarat have been completed during the last five years i.e. 2011-12 to 2016-17. All the surveys have been completed. Among these completed surveys for gauge conversion projects, 5 projects have been taken up/included in the Budget subject to requisite approvals from the Government. The details are as under: