**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer provided by the Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding new railway lines in the Bilaspur Division, specifically concerning connectivity from Ambikapur. The answer, dated December 3, 2025, outlines sanctioned projects, budget allocations for infrastructure and safety works in Chhattisgarh, and factors influencing railway project sanction and completion.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Sanctioned Projects for Ambikapur Connectivity:**
* Boridand-Ambikapur (Surajpur) doubling: 80 km, work taken up.
* Ambikapur-Ramanujganj-Barwadih new line and spur from Ramanujganj to Garhwa Road: 262 km, Detailed Project Report prepared.
* Sardega – Pathalgaon-Ambikapur new line: 218 km, Detailed Project Report prepared.
* **Budget Allocation for Chhattisgarh:**
* Budget allocation in the recent years has increased significantly.
* 2009-2014: ₹311 Cr/year.
* 2025-2026: ₹6925 Cr (More than 22 times).
* **Track Commissioning in Chhattisgarh (2009-2014 & 2014-2025):**
* 2009-14: 32 Km Commissioned (6.4 Km/Year).
* 2014-25: 1189 Km Commissioned (108.1 Km/Year, more than 15 times).
* **Overall Project Status in Chhattisgarh (as of April 1, 2025):**
* 26 projects (6 New Lines and 20 Doubling) sanctioned.
* Total length: 1,931 Km, Cost: ₹31,619 crore.
* Commissioned length: 1023 Km.
* Expenditure up to March 2025: ₹16,325 crore.
* Breakdown of work is provided in the document:
*New Lines: 6 projects, 609km TL, 184km Commissioned, ₹6154 Cr Expenditure
*Doubling/Multitracking: 20 projects, 1323km TL, 839km Commissioned, ₹10171 Cr Expenditure
* **Sanctions for new railway line surveys:**
* In the last 3 years and the current financial year, 26 surveys of new railway lines covering a length of 3901 km in the South East Central Railway including Ambikapur have been sanctioned.
* **Factors Influencing Railway Project Sanction:**
* Anticipated traffic projections and Remunerativeness of the proposed route.
* First and last mile connectivity provided by the project.
* Connection of missing links and providing additional route.
* Augmentation of congested/saturated lines.
* Demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/Public representatives.
* Railway's own operational requirements.
* Socio-economic considerations.
* Overall availability of funds.
* **Factors Influencing Railway Project Completion:**
* Land acquisition.
* Forest clearance.
* Shifting of infringing utilities.
* Statutory clearances from various authorities.
* Geological and topographical conditions of area.
* Law and order situation in the area of project site.
* Number of working months in a year for particular project site.
**Impact Analysis**
**Chhattisgarh State:**
* **Impact:** Increased railway infrastructure and connectivity improvements, especially around Ambikapur. The state also benefits from significant budget allocations for railway projects.
* **Action Required:** Support and facilitate ongoing and planned railway projects by assisting with land acquisition, clearances, and maintaining law and order at project sites.
**Ministry of Railways:**
* **Impact:** Responsibility for overseeing project implementation, managing budgets, and addressing connectivity demands.
* **Action Required:** Ensure efficient project execution, address factors affecting project completion (land acquisition, clearances, etc.), and allocate resources effectively.
**Residents of Ambikapur and surrounding areas:**
* **Impact:** Improved rail connectivity and transportation options, potentially leading to economic development and increased accessibility.
* **Action Required:** No direct action required, but can benefit from the improved connectivity.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The central government ministry responsible for the Indian railway network.
South East Central Railway: One of the railway zones in India, responsible for railway operations in parts of Chhattisgarh and neighboring states.
Chhattisgarh: The Indian state where the railway line projects are located.
Bilaspur Division: A division of the South East Central Railway zone, responsible for railway operations in the Bilaspur region.
Ambikapur: A city in Chhattisgarh, India that is a focus of connectivity improvements through railway projects.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.489
TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025
NEW RAILWAY LINES IN BILASPUR DIVISION
†489. SHRI CHINTAMANI MAHARAJ:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state :
(a) the current status of the Final Location Surveys conducted for
new railway lines by the South East Central Railway, Bilaspur
Division during the last two years and the current year including
the details thereof, year-wise;
(b) whether the Railways had fixed any targets for laying new
railway lines during the said period and if so, the details thereof
along with the extent to which these targets have been
achieved; and
(c) the steps being taken by the Railways for the approval of the
surveyed railway lines passing through Ambikapur?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (c) To improve the connectivity from Ambikapur, following
surveys/works have been sanctioned:
S.No Name of the Project Km Status
1 Boridand- Ambikapur 80 Work taken up.
(Surajpur) doubling2 Ambikapur-Ramanujganj- 262 Detailed Project
Barwadih new line and Report has been
spur from Ramanujganj to prepared
Garhwa Road
3 Sardega – Pathalgaon- 218 Detailed Project
Ambikapur new line Report has been
prepared
CHHATTISGARH
Budget allocation in the recent years has increased significantly.
Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling
fully/partly in the State of Chhattisgarh is as under:
Period Outlay
2009-2014 ₹311 Cr/year
2025-2026 ₹6925 Cr ( More than 22 times)
The details of commissioning/laying of new track falling fully/partly in
the State of Chhattisgarh during 2009-14 and 2014-25 is as under:
Period Total Length Average Length
Commissioned Commissioned
2009-14 32 Km 6.4 Km/Year
2014-25 1189 Km 108.1 Km/Year ( more than
15 times )
As on 01.04.2025, 26 projects(06 New Lines and 20 Doubling),
covering total length of 1,931 Km length, costing ₹31,619 crore,
falling fully/partly in the state of Chhattisgarh, are sanctioned, out of
which 1023 Km length has been commissioned and an expenditureof ₹16,325 crore has been incurred upto March’ 2025. The status of
the work is summarized as:
Category No. of Total Length Length Total
projects NL/GC/DL Commissioned Exp.
(in Km) till March’25 upto
(Km) Mar'25
(₹ in Cr)
New Lines 6 609 184 6154
Doubling /
20 1323 839 10171
Multitracking
Total 26 1931 1023 16325
In last 3 years i.e.(2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and current Financial
Year i.e.2025-26), 26 surveys of new railway line covering a length
of 3901 km in the South East Central Railway including Ambikapur
have been sanctioned.
Sanction of any railway project depends upon many
parameters/factors which include the following:
Anticipated traffic projections and Remunerativeness of the
proposed route
First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
Connection of missing links and providing additional route
Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
Demands raised by State Governments/Central
Ministries/Public representatives,
Railway’s own operational requirements
Socio-economic considerations
Overall availability of fundsCompletion of Railway project/s depends on various factors which
include the following:
Land acquisition
Forest clearance
Shifting of infringing utilities
Statutory clearances from various authorities
Geological and topographical conditions of area
Law and order situation in the area of project 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.
****