Manipur railway project driving growth and connectivity
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- : Manipur railway project driving growth and connectivity (in Manipuri) : YouTube Link -


- : Manipur railway project driving growth and connectivitys (in English) : YouTube Link

Rapid development is underway for Manipur’s overall growth, with Indian Railways playing a key role.

Despite challenging terrain, work is progressing quickly on the 111-kilometer Jiribam–Imphal railway line.  

The project includes multiple tunnels, bridges, and stations.  

The world’s tallest railway pier bridge is nearly complete — a remarkable engineering feat.  

Out of the 52 planned tunnels, 59 kilometers of tunneling work has been completed so far, out of a total of 61.32 kilometers.  

Thingujam Dolendro
Project Manager   
                               (Translation) We hope the tunneling work will be completed by 2027. This is the first shaft of its kind in the Northeast and for NFR (Northeast Frontier Railway). With the excavation through the shaft and subsequent phase connection, tunnel progress will accelerate. The shaft has already been constructed, and the phase is ready.  

Railway bridge construction in Manipur is moving at a fast pace. Of the 11 major bridges, 5 are complete, while 81 out of 138 minor bridges are ready.  

Progress is also steady on station development — 6 out of 11 new stations are finished, with Khongsang station in Noney already operational.  

Meanwhile, work on the Northeast’s longest railway tunnel — the nearly 10-kilometer-long Sangaihel Tunnel—is advancing rapidly. Two parallel tunnels are being constructed: one for regular train movement and the other dedicated to emergency rescue and evacuation, ensuring safety and speed in critical situations.

Enhanced rail connectivity is set to benefit both local residents and those visiting Manipur for work or tourism, making travel easier and more efficient.

Laishram Premjit
Local Resident  
                                  (Translation) Right now, it takes us a lot of time to go to Assam or Silchar — at least 10 hours to reach Silchar. Once the railway comes, it will benefit us greatly. It’ll also reduce costs. Transportation is difficult; it’s hard to bring goods from Assam or Dimapur by truck. With the train, it will reach in 4–5 hours, and it won’t be as expensive.  

Arvind Kumar
Worker from Bihar  
                             (Translation) Everyone wants development — whether it’s the Northeast, Delhi, Bihar — every state in the country wants to grow, and that’s a good thing. The situation here will normalize completely. People are learning to live together peacefully, and many already are. Things are stable now and will soon be entirely normal.  

As the railway project takes shape, Manipur will not only become better connected with the rest of the country, but its economy will also gain fresh

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* This video and transcript was provided to e-pao.net by ANI - Asian News International
Posted on 24 May 2025 .

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