Guwahati/Imphal: Manipur’s Imphal will become the fifth capital city in the Northeast to be connected to the national railway network, with the Jiribam–Imphal New Railway Line Project expected to be commissioned by June 2029, officials said on Tuesday.
A senior official of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said that the railway line connecting Imphal to Jiribam town, bordering southern Assam’s Cachar district, is a critical 111-km infrastructure project worth around Rs 22,000 crore, which is expected to be fully operational by June 2029.
Assam capital Dispur (near Guwahati), Tripura capital Agartala, Arunachal Pradesh’s Itanagar and Mizoram capital Aizawl already came under the Indian railway network.
The 51.38-kilometre-long Bairabi (near southern Assam)–Sairang (near Aizawl) section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Aizawl on September 13, 2025.
“The Jiribam–Imphal New Line Project is one of the most challenging railway infrastructure projects being undertaken in the Northeast region. The project traverses difficult and hilly terrain and involves extensive tunnelling and bridge construction,” the official told IANS.
Northeast Frontier Railway (Construction) General Manager, Ashish Bansal, recently conducted inspection of the Jiribam–Khongsang, Khongsang – Awangkhuland Awangkhul–Imphal sections under the prestigious Jiribam–Imphal New Line Railway Project.
During the inspection, he reviewed the progress of various ongoing construction activities and assessed the status of important railway infrastructure works along the project alignment.
The official said that the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is likely to inspect the Khongsang–Awangkhul section in October (2026).
The General Manager further inspected tunnel number 28 and 12 and reviewed the progress of tunnelling works in the project.
According to the official, a major feature of the project is its extensive tunnel network. The project comprises 54 tunnels with a cumulative length of approximately 66.47 km. Tunnel number 12 is the longest railway tunnel in India on the Jiribam–Imphal new broad gauge railway line. It will be 11.55 km long, more than the famous Pir Panjal tunnel on the Banihal-Qazigund line in Jammu and Kashmir.
The official said that the construction of these tunnels through challenging geological and mountainous terrain represents a significant engineering achievement and requires advanced construction techniques along with stringent safety and quality measures.
The project also includes 15 major bridges and 116 minor bridges, including bridge number 164 at Noney, which features the world’s tallest railway pier with a height of 141 metres and is nearing completion.
These structures are being constructed to facilitate safe and uninterrupted movement of trains as well as road traffic across the railway alignment.
There are a total of 11 railway stations on the Jiribam–Imphal New Line. The stations are Jiribam, Vangaichungpao, Rani Gaidinliu, Kambiron Halt, Thingou, Khongsang, Awangkhul, Noney, Tupul, Haochong Road Halt and Imphal.
These stations will provide improved rail access to the people residing in the surrounding areas and will serve as important points for passenger and goods movement.
During the inspection, General Manager Bansal emphasised the need to maintain the highest standards of safety, construction quality and timely execution.
He reviewed the progress of works with the officials concerned and field personnel and directed them to closely monitor construction activities and resolve issues promptly to ensure smooth progress of the project.
The official noted that the Jiribam–Imphal New Line will significantly improve connectivity between Manipur and the rest of the country. Besides providing faster and more reliable passenger transportation, the railway line will facilitate the movement of essential commodities and goods, significantly augment transportation and contribute to the overall economic and social development of the region.
The 111 km long Jiribam–Imphal new broad gauge railway project was taken up in 2008 and was declared a National Project owing to its importance.
Manipur Chief Minister, Y Khemchand Singh, earlier said his government is committed to extending all necessary support to ensure the timely completion of the railway project that will connect the state’s capital with the pan-India rail network.
(IANS)
