India has 135 infrastructure projects delayed by five years or more.
According to the latest report for July 2023 by the Infrastructure and Project Monitoring Division (IPMD), 809 projects were delayed and 213 projects were behind schedule even after being granted extensions.
The road transport and highways sector had the most number of delayed projects at 262, followed by the railways at 115 and the petroleum sector at 89.
As many as 388 projects were hit by cost overruns, too. The cost escalation of the 809 delayed projects added up to more than Rs 4.65 lakh crore as of July, according to the report.
IPMD monitors the status of 1,643 central projects costing more than Rs 150 crore each in 16 sectors and the performance of 11 key sectors.
Here's a list of the 10 most delayed infrastructure projects in India:
Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Project
This rail project has remained unfinished for more than 20 years. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail project in Jammu and Kashmir is the most-delayed project, behind schedule by 254 months (21 years 2 months).
The 285 km railway track connecting Udhampur and Baramulla comes under the jurisdiction of the Firozpur railway division of Indian Railways' Northern zone.
The 359 m (1,178 ft) tall Chenab Bridge lies on this line, is the tallest railway bridge in the world.
The project faced delays due to law and order issues and a ban on mining of minor aggregates from November 2019, which stalled the building of tunnels and bridges till July 2021, resulting in a deficit of about 35 km.
Construction of the route faced natural challenges including major earthquake zones, extreme temperatures and inhospitable terrain.
The project has had a long and chequered history, and serious progress was made only after it was declared a National Project of India in 2002. Although scheduled completion date for the project was 15 August 2007, the revised timeline for the completion of remaining Katra–Banihal section of the project is November-December 2023
The project’s cost was originally estimated at Rs 2,500 crore and revised to Rs 37,012.26 crore, of which Rs 36,017.83 crore has been spent.
Udhampur, Srinagar, Baramulla Rail Link
Kotlpalli-Narasapur Railway Project
The Kotlpalli-Narasapur railway project of the South Central Railways in Andhra Pradesh has been delayed for 216 months (18 years).
The 57 km track traverses 29 villages and eight railway stations and runs over three bridges. It is expected to benefit 3 million people. Of the 600 acres of land required for the project, 234 have been acquired.
The report did not mention the reasons for the delays. However, it is likely due to lack of funding by the Andhra Pradesh government and the Indian Railways, as per multiple media reports on the project.
When former railway minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone of the project at Amalapuram on November 16, 2000, its estimated cost was Rs 1,045.2 crore. The cost was revised to Rs 2,500.98 crore, and Rs 1,130 crore has been spent so far.
Kotlpalli-Narasapur Railway Project
Khurda Road - Bolangir Railway Project
The Khurda Road-Bolangir railway project of the East Coast Railways in Odisha has been delayed for 213 months (17 years and nine months).
So far, the railways has commissioned 115 km of tracks out of the planned 301 km, covering 90.4 km from Khurda Road to Nuagaon and 24.9 km from Bolangir to Jhartarabha.
The report did not mention the reasons for the delay. The project, sanctioned in 1994-95, has faced delays for several reasons, including court cases and lack of forest clearances, according to multiple media reports.
The project’s initial cost estimate of Rs 1,000 crore doubled to almost Rs 2,000 crore due to low budgetary provisions and land acquisition issues.
Khurda Road - Bolangir Railway Project
Lalitpur-Satna, Rewa-Singrauli Railway Line
A project of the West Central Railways, the Lalitpur-Satna, Rewa-Singrauli Line has been delayed for 202 months (16 years 10 months).
The 541 km railway line will connect Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh when completed and will connect 26 railway stations.
Out of the total railway line the Lalitpur-Udaypura section, the Udaypura- Khajuraho section and the Khajuraho-Mahoba section have been commissioned up to 2016.
The report did not mention the reasons for the delays. The Indian Railways had allotted Rs 700 crore for the 541 km Lalitpur-Singrauli line in the FY 24 budget.
So far, Rs 2,427.33 crore has been spent on the project. The new project cost has been calculated at Rs 8,248.50 crore, an 33-fold jump from the original cost of Rs 247.66 crore, according to the report.
Lalitpur-Satna, Rewa-Singrauli Railway Line
Kothapalli–Manoharabad Railway line
The Kothapalli-Manoharabad Railway line of the South Central Railways in Telangana has been delayed by 180 months (15 years).
The 151 km single-track broad-gauge railway line is envisioned to reduce the distance from Karimnagar to Hyderabad and provide railway connectivity to districts such as Siddipet and Sircilla.
Survey work was reportedly completed in 2005. In 2020, the track to Gajwel was tested and on June 29, 2022, the line from Manoharabad to Kothapalli received its first freight shipment at Gajwel.
In May, it was reported that the line to Siddipet would be completed by August. The remaining work was expected to be completed by 2025.
The report did not mention the reasons for the delays. After the formation of Telangana, the line was fast-tracked and the foundation stone was laid on August 8, 2016, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In 2023, Rs 185 crore was allocated to the project in the Union Budget. This was estimated to fund the line to Sircilla. The original cost of the project at Rs 1,160.48 crore escalated to Rs 3,014.00 crore now. So far, Rs 1,071.53 crore has been spent.
Kothapalli–Manoharabad Railway line
Subansiri Lower Dam
The Subansiri Lower Dam or the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project by NHPC has been delayed by 176 months (14 years and eight months).
It is located near North Lakhimpur on the border of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam on the Subansiri River that flows through both states. It is expected to supply 2,000 MW of power when completed.
The project faced problems during construction including landslides, re-design and political opposition. As of October 15, 2019, construction of the dam has restarted and it is expected to be completed by May 2025.
About Rs 18,903.2 crore has been spent on the project so far, which had an initial cost of Rs 6,285.33 crore and a revised cost of Rs 21,247.54 crore.
Subansiri Lower Dam
Parbati Hydroelectric Project
The NHPC’s Parbati Hydroelectric Project has been delayed by 174 months (14 years and six months), according to the report.
It is located at Behali village in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh.
Originally a 2,000 MW project to be developed in three stages, Parbati-I was abandoned due to environmental failures. Work on Parbati-II and Parbati-III started simultaneously and the project is expected to be completed by March 2024.
About Rs 10,807.99 crore has been spent on the project so far, which had an initial cost of Rs 3,919.59 crore and a revised cost of Rs 11,134.54 crore.
Parbati Hydroelectric Project
Parbati Hydroelectric Project
Khurda Road and Barang Railway Line
The third railway line between Khurda Road and Barang in Odisha was started on August 28 after a delay of 172 months (14 years and 4 months).
Sanctioned in FY12, the 34 km line was commissioned by the East Coast Railway and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd.
The railways had planned to complete the project by 2017. However, the evacuation of slums, construction of a road overbridge and other challenges delayed the project.
The project has been stalled since 2013 due to encroachments and extremely restricted workspace.
The amount spent on the project was Rs 518.32 crore. The initial cost was first estimated at Rs 133.41 crore, which was later revised to Rs 207 crore.
Khurda Road and Barang Railway Line
Khurda Road and Barang Railway Line
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor
The 500 MWe nuclear reactor being constructed by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam at Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, has been delayed by 171 months (14 years and three months).
These nuclear reactors generate more atomic fuel than what they consume.
The project is 97.64 percent complete and should be ready by 2024. The work started in 2004 and it was initially expected to generate power in 2011.
In the budget for FY24, the central government allocated Rs 515.5 crore for the project as against Rs 400 crore in the previous FY.
So far, Rs 6,569.75 crore has been spent on the project, which had an initial estimated cost of Rs 3,492 crore and a revised estimated cost of Rs 7,670 crore.
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Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor
Jiribam to Imphal Railway Line
The Jiribam to Imphal new line railway project by the North East Frontier Railway in Manipur has been delayed by 168 months (14 years)
The 110 km line has 11 major bridges and 137 minor bridges, of which work on five major bridges and 101 minor bridges has been completed. The total length of tunnels exceeds 61 km, of which over 59 km has been completed.
As of April, 93 percent of the project was completed and it should be ready by next year. Once complete, the project will cut travel time between Jiribam and Imphal to 2.5 hours by rail from the current 10 hours by road.
So far, Rs 13,763.33 crore has been spent on the project, as against an initial cost of Rs 4,454.17 crore and a revised estimate of Rs 12,264.15 crore.
Jiribam-Imphal Railway Line
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