Barwadih Chirimiri Railway Project

Barwadih Chirimiri Railway Project

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAJYA SABHA

QUESTION NO 3337

ANSWERED ON 23.03.2018

Barwadih Chirimiri railway project

3337 Shri Ram Vichar Netam
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :-
(a) whether Government is aware of the present status of Barwadih-Chirimiri railway project in Chhattisgarh;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Government has any record of the amount sanctioned for Barwadih-Chirimiri railway project and the expenditure incurred under this project during the last three budgets;

(d) if so, the details thereof, year-wise and category-wise; and

(e) whether it is a fact that low budget outlay has adversely affected the implementation of the said project?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. Updating survey for new line between Barwadih-Chirimiri (Ambikapur) (182 Km) was conducted in year 2010-2011 at a cost of Rs.1104.50 crore. The then Planning Commission had accorded (June 2012) ‘In Principle’ approval to the aforesaid project with the condition that the Railway gets land free of cost from concerned State Govt. and approach Coal India, which has huge investible surplus, with the request to jointly develop this project as a joint venture. Accordingly, State Governments and Coal India Ltd were requested in May 2013 to provide land free of cost and develop this project jointly. At that time, neither State Governments nor Coal India Ltd responded. As such project could not be taken forward.

Now, Chhattisgarh Railway Corporation Limited (a Joint Venture Company of Government of Chhattisgarh and Ministry of Railways) has identified this project as a potential project for further development and has awarded a consultancy contract in November 2017 for assessment of economic viability and feasibility of the Barwadih to Ambikapur new line project.

(c) The Barwadih to Ambikapur project has not yet been sanctioned.

(d) & (e) Do not arise.