Rly Board withdraws power of zones to sanction

 

 

 

To curtail wastage of public funds, Railway Board has decided to withdraw the powers granted to zonal railways for sanctioning of final location surveys (FLS). Citing misuse of the facility by continuous overshooting of sanctioned budget for feasibility studies, it has now decided that, henceforth, all proposals for FLS would be vetted at apex level, i.e. by Board. General Managers have been communicated the amendment relating to delegation of powers as to recommending FLS, as the desired results were not achieved. Vivek Mathur, Joint Director, Works (G), Railway Board, informed about the amendment as to reversing decision on decentralisation of powers of FLS for Preliminary Engineering cum Traffic Survey (PETS) or Reconnaissance Engineering cum Traffic Survey (RETS).

 

The feasibility studies, as they are called now, are carried out from time to time for identifying new routes or in case of need for upgradation of existing network, to meet the operations demand due to increase in train traffic. Also, sometimes, Zones used to recommend feasibility studies to connect remote area with a view to usher in development. FLS is a study to determine the alignment of new route, the topography of the area, to determine suitability of the intended project, land requirement and most importantly, the returns accruing on the investment. Based on the FLS, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is prepared to get the estimated cost of the project.

 

Based on DPR, Board incorporates the project in its annual budgetary allocation. However, over the years, a trend was noticed wherein Zonal Railways tend to overshoot the sanctioned budget for feasibility studies. Board would receive request to release additional funds to cover up FLS budget overrun. Another issued pointed out in the circular was failure of Zonal Railways to keep Board in loop as to sanctions accorded. In the absence of timely update on the ongoing FLS, the Board was put in awkward situation. They could not furnish information on parliamentary queries in absence of any communication on new FLS sanctioned at Zone level. Flagging this as gross abuse of the delegation of power as the trend was becoming common, the Civil Engineering Directorate stepped in to review the arrangements and strip Zonal bosses of ordering FLS.

 

The policy of granting approval for FLS was liberalised by Railway Board in 2023, empowering Zonal Railways. The delegation of powers for sanctioning FLS for PET/RET to General Managers and Divisional Railway Managers was done in year mid-2023 with the setting up of Gati Shakti Unit a year earlier. The aim was Board’s ambitious target of achieving haulage of 3000 million tonnes of goods. For the same, it was deemed proper to speed up decision-making so that project execution, which involves long gestation, could be brought down. Only when the new line involves jurisdiction of more than one zone, the Board approval was deemed necessary. The idea that time was that since Zonal officers are more aware of pressing need for new networks, the faster decision could cut down the time required for putting the project to ground. So GMs were given the power to approve budget for FLS on projects found feasible. However alarmed at cost escalation in every other FLS, Board deemed it necessary to revert back to the old scheme of things. 

 

 

Taking note of rising input cost, Railway Board has effected rise in outlay for final location survey (FLS). A note issued by Board to Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) of Zones communicated the new rates, Rs 3 lakh for FLS of new line. In case of feasibility studies for doubling of existing route, the new rate approved is Rs 2.40 lakh. However, in case FLS involves two lines, then the cost will be 25 per cent higher than FLS for single line. Abhishek Agrawal, Director, GS, Civil, Railway Board, in the circular dated September 28, 2025, as to rates for preparation of DPR of traffic facility that involves laying of tracks and yard remodelling work, would be similar to FLS for doubling works, i.e. Rs 2.4 lakh. Further, he mentioned that, yardsticks for conducting other types of surveys will remain the same. As to cost for traffic study, it will be 20 per cent of FLS.