"Delays Plague Over 800 Infrastructure Projects in India Due to Land Acquisition and Environmental Clearances"

A recent flash report compiled by the government's Infrastructure and Project Monitoring Division has shed light on significant delays plaguing railway projects in India. Among the most noteworthy delays is the Lalitpur-Satna-Rewa-Singrauli rail line project, expected to finally conclude in March next year after a staggering delay of over 16 years, amounting to 202 months.

However, even more striking is the delay recorded in the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla (USBRL) project, stretching over 255 months or 20 years and 15 months. Despite this extensive delay, the exceptional circumstances of militancy and terrorism in the region are cited as mitigating factors.

These railway projects are just two among a total of 848 delayed projects out of 1,820 being monitored by the government. Each of these projects carries a price tag of ₹150 crore or more. While 56 projects are ahead of schedule and 618 are on track, a significant number—431 projects—have reported cost overruns, with 268 experiencing both time and cost overruns compared to their original implementation schedules. The average time overrun for these delayed projects stands at 36.59 months.

As a consequence of these delays, the anticipated completion costs have surged by over 18.5% compared to the original estimates. Concerningly, the report also suggests that project agencies may not be adequately reporting revised cost estimates and commissioning schedules, potentially resulting in underreported figures for time and cost overruns.

While specific reasons for the delays in the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla project were not provided in the report, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written response in the Lok Sabha, highlighted that significant progress has been made, with 161 km out of the total 272 km already commissioned. The project, navigating through the challenging terrain of the young Himalayas, poses numerous geological challenges, with over 97 km of tunnels, including the longest transportation railway tunnel in the country spanning 12.77 km.

Moreover, notable achievements include the construction of the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab River in Reasi District, standing at a height of 359 m above the river bed. Additionally, the railway has constructed its first cable-stayed bridge over AnjiKhad, with its main pylon reaching a height of 193m, showcasing remarkable engineering feats despite the project's delays.

HBL