(a) whether around 15 per cent of India’s 66,500 Km. railway track network requires urgent repair as due to corrosion and increasing dust pollution, frequent track fractures are taking place that ultimately lead to derailments;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the time by which the old/dilapidated railway tracks are likely to be repaired/replaced; and
(d) the budget estimate and source of funding for the track repair/ replacement?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)
(a) to (c) Railway tracks are replaced through Track Renewal Works, which is an ongoing process. Track Renewal Works are undertaken as and when a stretch of track becomes due for renewal on the basis of criteria laid down in Indian Railway Permanent Way Manual on age/condition basis viz. traffic carried in terms of gross million tones, incidence of rail fracture/failure, wear of rails, corrosion of rails, maintainability of track as per standards, etc. Track Renewal Works are planned in advance every year and their execution is prioritized according to the condition of track and overall availability of funds ensuring all the time that track is in a sound condition for safe running of trains. In case any stretch of track is not renewed in time due to various reasons, suitable speed restrictions, if required are imposed to ensure safe running of trains. As on 01.04.2017, 7546 km of Track renewal is sanctioned for renewal. For the year 2017-18, a target of 3600 km for track renewal has been kept.
(d) For 2017-18, Budget Outlay of ? 9960.76 Crore has been allocated for track renewal works from Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK).
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