New Delhi: Total 20 railway projects worth Rs17,073 crore are in progress in State of Gujarat. It includes projects for lying three new lines at estimated cost of Rs4,028 crore, gauge conversion of eight lines at cost of Rs6,568 crore and doubling of nine lines at cost of 6,477 crore. Mr. Rajen Gohain, minister of state for railways stated in Rajya Sabha on July 29, 2016 in reply to the question raised by member of Rajya Sabha Mr. Parimal Nathwani.

The minister informed that the works for laying three new railway lines – Bhimnath – Dholera (24 km), Chhota Udepur-Dhar (157 km) and Dahod – Indore via Sardarpur, Jhabua and Dhar (200.97 km) are in progress. The gauge conversions of Ahmedabad-Botad (170.48 km), Ahmedabad-Himmatnagar-Udaipur (299.2 km) including Modasa-Shamlaji Road (22.53 km), Ahmedabad-Mehsana (68.78 km), Bhildi-Viramgam (157 km), Bhuj-Naliya (101.35 km), Dhasa-Jetalsar (104.44 km) , Miyagam-KirjanDabhoi-Samalaya GC (96.46 km) with electrification Rajkot-Veraval are in progress, according to the statement laid on the table of the house.

Abu Road-Sarotra Road Patch Doubling (23.12 km), Palanpur-Samakhayali (274.73 km), Sarotra Road-Karjoda Patch doubling (23.59 km), Surat-Kosamba PH-I of 3rd line between Vadodara and Virar (35km), Surendranagar-Rajkot (116.17 km), Udhna-Jalgaon with electrification (306.93 km), Vatva-Ahmedabad 3rd line with Automatic signaling (7.5 km), Vatva-Ahmedabad-Sabarmati 4th line (17.90 km) and Viramgam-Samakhiali (182.23 km) doubling work is also going on, as per the statement.

Mr. Nathwani wanted to know about on going and pending railway projects in the States of Gujarat and Jharkhand along with estimated cost of the projects. In Jharkhand, total 28 railway projects with estimated cost of Rs26,025 crore are in progress.

The minister stated that every railway project requires a number of clearances from various Ministries and Departments of State/Central Governments. These, inter-alia, include clearances inherent to land acquisition, forestry clearances and permission for crossing from departments like National Highway Authority of India, Public Works Department, Irrigation canals etc.; and also clearances of Archeological Survey of India if the alignment is passing in vicinity of a protected monument, local bodies for project passing through urban areas, etc. which are part of project execution, he said. The progress of works is based on above factors and availability of funds, said the minister.

DeshGujarat