Manipur Rail Project Will Connect Imphal to National Railway Network

The Jiribam-Imphal New Railway Line Project is making significant progress toward connecting the capital of Manipur to the national rail network. Spanning approximately 111 kilometers, this major infrastructure project is designed to traverse challenging hilly terrain and is expected to reduce travel time between Jiribam and Imphal from 10-12 hours by road to approximately 2.5 hours by train. The project is estimated to cost Rs 22,000 crore. Key technical features of the rail line include 54 tunnels, with a cumulative length of 66.47 km, including Tunnel Number 12, which measures 11.55 km and is the longest railway tunnel in India. The route incorporates 15 major bridges and 116 minor bridges. Notably, Bridge No. 164 at Noney features a pier height of 141 meters, making it the tallest railway pier bridge in the world.

Inspection and Future Timeline

Ashish Bansal, General Manager of Northeast Frontier Railway (Construction), recently conducted inspections of the Jiribam-Khongsang, Khongsang-Awangkhul, and Awangkhul-Imphal sections. These inspections focused on construction progress and preparations for the Commission of Railway Safety inspection scheduled for October 2026. The project, which involves technical assistance from IITs in Kanpur, Roorkee, and Guwahati, is currently targeting full operational status by June 2029. The railway line will feature a total of 11 stations upon completion.