NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways continues to occupy the second position among 24 infrastructure sectors in terms of the highest number of projects delayed. Road transport and highways sector stands first.
Notably, the number of delayed projects related to infrastructure development in the railways has increased from 56 in 2022 to 98 in 2023. Seven out of 10 mega projects delayed in the country belong to the Indian Railways, including the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line, which is running behind its original schedule by more than 21 years.
At present, 1,646 infrastructure projects across 24 sectors, including 148 of Indian Railways are being monitored by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Infrastructure and Project Monitoring Division. According to a July 2023 report shared with the PMO and other wings of the Central government, out of a total 1,646 projects under scanner, 809 projects (including 98 of railways) are delayed from their original scheduled dates of completion. Among the 809, 213 projects (including nine of railways) are running exceptionally delayed, leading to maximum cost overruns.
The prominent reasons for the delay in projects included delays in land acquisition, obtaining clearances, tendering, contractual issues and inadequate manpower, delays in technical approvals, law and order problems and litigation by the concerned monitoring wing of the Central government. As on August 1, 2023, the Ramganjmund-Bhopal rail line project of Western Railway, sanctioned in 2002 with an estimated cost of Rs 425 crore, is running delayed with it cost overrunning to Rs 3,032 crore.
In the same way, the Udhampur- Srinagar- Baramulla rail line project, sanctioned in 1995 at an original estimated budget of Rs 2,500 crore, is delayed by more than 21 years with it cost escalating to Rs 37,012 crore.
“The Lalitpur- Satna-Rewa Singruli project, sanctioned in 1998 with an original estimated cost of `248 crore, is now running delayed with the escalated budget touching `8,249 crore,” said the report.
The new BG rail line from Byrnihat to Shilong, sanctioned in 2010 with an original budget of Rs 906 crore, is delayed with the escalated budget reaching Rs 8,324 crore.
According to the report, the railway’s eastern dedicated freight corridor project, sanctioned in 2006 with an estimated budget of Rs 11,589 crore, is running behind its original schedule with the budget escalating to Rs 51,219 crore. Besides railways, the 419 road transport and highways projects are delayed from their original scheduled deadlines, inflating the budget heavily. The total original cost of 1,646 projects, including that of railways, was Rs 23,92,837.89 crore and their anticipated completion cost is likely to be Rs 28,58,394.39 crore.
Kolkata metro to use composite aluminium third rail
The Ministry of Railways on Wednesday said that Kolkata metro railway has decided to use composite aluminium third rail in all the upcoming corridors being undertaken for construction, along with retro fitment in its existing corridors with steel third rail. This takes it to the elite club of railways with composite aluminium third rails akin to that in London, Moscow, Berlin, Munich and Istanbul. A third rail, also known as an electric rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of the track. A tender has been floated by the Kolkata metro railway for replacement of the existing third rail in the first phase to cover the section between Dumdum to Shyambazar.