Guwahati: The Jiribam-Imphal new line railway project, which is a crucial connectivity project in Northeast India, is nearing completion with 93.30% physical progress achieved.
The 110 km long railway line consists of 52 tunnels and bridges, including the longest tunnel of the project, tunnel number 12.
The tunnel is 10.275 km long and passes through a complex geological area with fragile soil conditions. It includes a 529-metre RCC Ramp with a parallel safety tunnel that is 8.30 km long.
The Northeast Frontier Railway official stated that the new line railway project’s construction is progressing well and is expected to connect Imphal, the capital city of Manipur, to the rest of the country.
“The works for this new line railway project, among other connectivity projects, is also going on in full swing to connect Maniapur’s capital city Imphal to the rest of the country,” a senior official of Northeast Frontier Railway here said.
The project involves constructing multiple tunnels and bridges in challenging terrains, with a total tunnel length of 61.32 km. Out of this, 59.11 km of tunnelling work has been completed, and work is ongoing on the remaining sections of the project.
The Jiribam-Imphal new line railway project will have a total of 11 major bridges and 137 minor bridges. As of now, the construction work for five major bridges and 101 minor bridges has been completed.
“The world’s tallest pier railway bridge, which stands at a height of 141 meters, is also being constructed in this project and is nearing completion,” the official said.
The section from Jiribam to Khongsang has already been commissioned for train service, and after the completion of the entire project, the current 10-hour road journey time to reach Imphal from Jiribam will be reduced to only 2.5 hours by railways.
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The Northeast Frontier Railway official highlighted the challenges faced during the project, including heavy rainfall and other logistical hindrances. He mentioned that the NF Railway is working 24×7 to complete the project on time.
“The new rail project will enhance connectivity for the people of Manipur, boost small-scale industries in the area, and promote tourism in the state. It will also help in faster transportation of essential commodities and enable local producers to export their produce faster outside the state, thereby boosting the state’s economy,” he said.
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