Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Railways addresses questions regarding critical infrastructure gap projects, their progress, timelines, and long-term plans. Railway projects are sanctioned based on various factors, including remunerativeness, traffic projections, and demands from stakeholders. As of April 1, 2025, 431 infrastructure projects are sanctioned, with approximately ₹2.91 lakh crore spent by March 2025. Project completion depends on factors such as land acquisition and clearances, with efforts underway to expedite approvals and implementation.
Key Points / Main Content:
Project Sanctioning:
* Projects are sanctioned based on remunerativeness, traffic projections, last mile connectivity, infrastructure gaps, alternate routes, congestion, state government demands, parliamentary requests, operational needs, and socio-economic factors.
* Sanctioning requires consultation with stakeholders, including State Governments, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Finance, after a Detailed Project Report is finalized.
Project Status (FY 2022-23 to Current FY):
* 237 projects (40 New Line, 17 Gauge Conversion, 180 Doubling) of total length 9,703 Km costing approx. ₹1,90,333 Crore have been sanctioned.
* 892 surveys (267 New Line, 11 Gauge Conversion, 614 Doubling) of total length 61,462 Km have been sanctioned.
* As of 01.04.2025, 431 Railway infrastructure projects (154 New Line, 33 Gauge Conversion, 244 Doubling) of total length 35,966 Km, costing approx. ₹6.75 lakh crore are sanctioned.
* 12,769 Km length has been commissioned, and approx. ₹2.91 lakh crore has been spent by March 2025.
Financial Outlay and Commissioning:
* Average Annual Budget allocation for New Line, Gauge Conversion, and Doubling Projects: ₹11,527 crore/year (2009-14) to ₹68,785 crore (2025-26).
* Average commissioning of new tracks increased from 4.2 Km/day (2009-14) to 8.57 Km/day (2014-25).
Factors Affecting Project Completion:
* Completion depends on land acquisition, forest clearances, utility shifting, statutory approvals, geological conditions, law and order, and working months.
Government Steps for Speedy Implementation:
* Setting up Gati Shakti units.
* Prioritization of projects.
* Increased funding allocation.
* Delegation of powers at field level.
* Close monitoring of progress.
* Regular follow-up with State Governments for land acquisition and clearances.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments:
* Impact: Required to facilitate quick land acquisition, assist in shifting utilities, and ensure favorable law and order conditions.
* Action Required: Expedite land acquisition processes and provide necessary support for project implementation.
Forest Department Officials:
* Impact: Responsible for providing timely forest clearances for project sites.
* Action Required: Expedite forest and wildlife clearance processes.
Ministry of Finance and NITI Aayog:
* Impact: Involved in the appraisal and approval of project sanctions.
* Action Required: Provide timely approvals for project sanctions following the review of the Detailed Project Report.
Railway Officials (Field Level):
* Impact: Given delegated powers to expedite project implementation.
* Action Required: Monitor project progress closely and resolve issues at the field level.
General Public/Passengers:
* Impact: Beneficiaries of improved railway infrastructure and connectivity.
* Action Required: None stated.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for the country's railway transport.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
2025-26 Budget: The annual financial statement presented to the Parliament of India, specifically for the fiscal year 2025-2026.
DR. D. PURANDESWARI: Member of Parliament who raised the question about critical infrastructure gap projects.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: The Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology.
NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India.
Ministry of Finance: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for financial matters.
Indian Railways: The state-owned railway company of India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 636
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE GAP PROJECTS
636. DR. D. PURANDESWARI:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the 25 critical infrastructure gap projects
identified in the 2025-26 Budget, their scope, key objectives
and expected outcomes across India;
(b) the details of the current progress of the sanctioned projects,
total budget allocations and the manner in which funds have
been utilized for implementation and development of these
projects;
(c) the details of timelines for completion along with details of the
key projects in underserved or strategic areas such as remote
regions or border areas out of these sanctioned projects;
(d) the details of current status of pending projects under
approval, including their expected timeline for sanctioning and
commencement, with a focus on regions with infrastructure
deficiencies; and
(e) the details of the long-term plans of the Government to bridge
the remaining infrastructure gaps and ensure completion within
the stipulated timeframes?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e): Railway projects are sanctioned on the basis of
remunerativeness, traffic projections, last mile connectivity,
..P/2-:2:-
missing links (including infrastructure gaps) and alternate routes,
augmentation of congested/saturated lines, demands raised by
State Governments, Central Ministries, Members of Parliament,
other public representatives, Railway’s own operational
requirement, socio-economic considerations etc. depending upon
throwforward of ongoing projects and overall availability of funds.
During the last three years i.e. FY 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the
current FY, 237 projects (40 New Line, 17 Gauge Conversion and
180 Doubling) of total length 9,703 Km costing approx. 1,90,333
Crore have been sanctioned across Indian Railways. Furthermore,
during this period 892 surveys (267 New Line, 11 Gauge Conversion
& 614 Doubling) of total length 61,462 Km have been sanctioned.
After firming up of Detailed Project Report, sanctioning of project
requires consultation with various stake-holders including State
Governments and necessary approvals viz. appraisal of NITI Aayog,
Ministry of Finance etc. As sanctioning of projects is a continuous
and dynamic process, exact timelines cannot be fixed.
As on 01.04.2025, across Indian Railways, 431 Railway
infrastructure projects (154 New Line, 33 Gauge Conversion and 244
Doubling) of total length 35,966 Km, costing approx. 6.75 lakh crore
are sanctioned, out of which, 12,769 Km length has been
commissioned and an expenditure of approx. 2.91 lakh crore has
been incurred upto March, 2025. The summary is as under:-
..P/3-:3:-
Total Length
Total Exp
No of Length Commissioned
Category upto Mar'25
Projects NL/GC/DL till Mar'25
( in Cr)
(km) (Km)
New Lines 154 16,142 3,036 1,45,318
Gauge
33 4,180 2,997 22,753
Conversion
Doubling /
244 15,644 6,736 1,22,858
Multitracking
Total 431 35,966 12,769 2,90,929
Zone-wise/year-wise details of all Railway projects are made
available in public domain on Indian Railway’s website.
The Average Annual Budget allocation for New Line, Gauge
Conversion and Doubling Projects across Indian Railways is given
below:
Period Outlay
2009-14 11,527 crore/year
2025-26 68,785 crore (Nearly 6 times)
The details of commissioning / laying of new track across Indian
Railways is given below:-
New track
Period Average commissioning of new tracks
Commissioned
2009-14 7,599 Km 4.2 Km/day
2014-25 34,428 Km 8.57 Km/day ( more than 2 times)
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Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors like
quick land acquisition by State Government, forest clearance by
officials of forest department, shifting of infringing utilities,
statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and
topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area
of project/s site, number of working months in a year for particular
project site etc. All these factors affect the completion time and
cost of the project/s.
Various steps taken by the Government for speedy approval and
implementation of Railway projects include (i) setting up of Gati
Shakti units (ii) prioritisation of projects (iii) substantial increase in
allocation of funds on priority projects (iv) delegation of powers at
field level (v) close monitoring of progress of project at various
levels, and (vi) regular follow up with State Governments and
concerned authorities for expeditious land acquisition, forestry and
Wildlife clearances and for resolving other issues pertaining to
projects. This has led to substantial increase in rate of
commissioning since 2014.
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