VI. NEW DELHI SUMMIT ON RAIL CONNECTIVITY – 19 JUNE, 2007

S.No
Actionable Points
Action Taken
1.
There is an immediate need to identify source of funding for the ‘National Projects’ by the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance. The allocation of funds to the Railways for these projects should be made at the B.E. stage.
Railway Development Fund has been created to fund the 9 National Projects.
2.
A Mission Mode needs to be adopted so as to ensure timely implementation of projects. Therefore, a monitoring mechanism needs to be in place. The Ministry of DoNER and NEC should be involved at all levels of decision making with regard to planning of rail projects in the North Eastern Region.
Ministry of DoNER has asked in Feb, 2007 Chairman, Railway Board to involve Ministry of DoNER on all issues pertaining to the development of the Rail Sector in the NER. Chief Secretaries can also review the status of the Railway projects in their States with the concerned Railway GMs.
3. A special Meeting on rail projects in Meghalaya and Nagaland will be organized in Shillong/ Kohima. Meeting is yet to be convened
4.
All State capitals need to be connected by rail. In cases where the rail links are being terminated short of the capital such as Jiribam to Tupul (Imphal), Dimapur to Zubza (Kohima), Sivok to Rangpo (Gangtok) the Railways should conduct feasibility studies for extending the railway links upto the State capitals.

i.          Dimapur-Zubza (Kohima) new line (88.4 kms) – Rs.850 crore:

            Dimapur-Zubza (Kohima) (88.4 kms) new line project has been included as National Project to provide Rail connectivity to the State Capital of Nagaland. Mode of funding with 25% from Railways GBS and 75% as additionality from M/o Finance has been decided. A target date of 2014-15 for completion has been fixed.  
State Govt. propose for extension of line upto Kohima and the meeting was held on 06.06.07 with Chief Minister, Nagaland to finalise the issue.  Meanwhile, the proposal for Final Location Survey through M/s. RITES is in progress.

 

ii.         Jiribam-Imphal Road (Tupul) new line (98 kms)

Included in the Budget 2003-04. The project has been declared as “National Project.”  The Final Location Survey has been completed for 52 kms. length and estimate has been sanctioned for 9.9 kms from Jiribam end for Rs.116.16 crore.  Tender for earthwork and minor bridges for first 10 kms has been awarded. 
State Govt. has demanded the extension of line upto capital i.e. Imphal.  During Final Location Survey, track alignment has been raised due to coming up of Tipaimukh Dam which has also resulted into feasibility of connecting it further to Imphal. As a result, the cost of the project has increased from Rs.727 crore to Rs.2300 crore. The matter is under examination after which Government approval will be taken for extension of the line and increased cost.

iii.        Kumarghat-Agartala NL National Project (109 kms) – Rs.880 crore

            Kumarghat-Manu (20 km.) completed and commissioned. On Manu-Agartala, work has been nearly completed except the two tunnels where work is slow due to difficult geology and monsoon and planned for completion by March 2008. It is expected that complete track work on either end of the tunnels and tunneling without lining and track work will also be over soon.

iv.        Harmuti-Itanagar new line (33 kms) – Rs.156 crore

            After State Govt. has firmed up the alignment, Final Location Survey of Harmuti to Naharlagun has been completed and the detailed estimate of Rs.156 crore is under process of sanction. Land plans from Harmuti to Naharlagun have been submitted to State Govt. for land acquisition. Railway has been advised to go ahead with construction activities.

v.         Shillong (Meghalaya) – pre-feasibility study of rail network

A survey for new line between Byrnihat and Shillong  (60 kms) has been sanctioned recently and the survey estimate is under process at railway’s level.

vi.        Bhairabhi-Sairang

Survey for construction of a broad gauge line from Bhairabhi to Sairang (51.38 km) has been completed. Planning Commission has accorded ‘in-principle’ approval with the condition that the proposal for taking up this project as a National Project to be funded outside the railway’s normal plan has not been agreed and Planning Commission has further observed that the additional funds required for the projects of the North East, over and above the present level of about 10% of the GBS could be made available by providing an additional North East Specific outlay annually but within the overall GBS of the Ministry of Railways.

The proposed Railway line will provide connectivity to Aizwal i.e. the State Capital of Mizoram. As per the declaration in the 6th Sectoral Summit on Rail Connectivity in N.E. Region, resolution has been passed to connect all the state capitals of North Eastern Region by Rail. Accordingly, Railways have sent the proposal again to the Planning Commission with EBR Memorandum for Appraisal of the project as a National Project.

b.         Progress of new line to connect Sikkim

To bring Sikkim on the Railway map, an updating survey for new line from Sivok to Rangpo has been completed recently. As per survey report, the cost of construction of this 52.70 km long line has been assessed as Rs.1329.48 crore with a negative rate of return (-)7.44%.  The survey report is under examination in the Ministry. Moreover, a survey for construction of a new BG line from Rangpo to Gangtok (60 kms) has been sanctioned. Final locational survey has been ordered.

Agartala-Sabroom line has been accepted as a National Project.  This is important for onward access to Chittagong Port.  Railways are now finalizing the tender for final locational survey.
5.
A special session on ‘Look East Policy’ needs to be organized by Ministry of DoNER.
Meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister on the Look East Policy was held on 31.10.2007 involving Central Government Ministers representing Home, Finance, Defence, Road Transport, Commerce, Industry, Planning Commission and Chief Ministers of NE States. 
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