Northeast Frontier Railway (Construction) General Manager, Ashish Bansal recently inspected the Jiribam – Khongsang, Khongsang – Awangkhul and Awangkhul – Imphal sections under the Jiribam – Imphal new line railway project.
During the inspection, he reviewed the progress of ongoing construction activities and railway infrastructure works along the alignment. He also inspected the Khongsang–Awangkhul section, including the yards, with particular focus on preparedness for the CRS inspection being planned in October 2026. He inspected Tunnel Nos. 28 and 12 and reviewed the progress of tunnelling works in the project.
Project Update
The project is being executed in phases. The Jiribam – Vangaichungpao section was commissioned in February 2017, while the Vangaichungpao – Khongsang section, was commissioned in September 2022. The remaining sections are progressing in a phased manner towards completion.
Project details
The Jiribam – Imphal new line project has a total length of 110.625 km and is one of the most challenging railway infrastructure projects in the Northeast.
The alignment traverses difficult hilly terrain and involves extensive tunnelling and bridge construction. The project comprises 54 tunnels with a cumulative length of approximately 66.47 km. The construction of these tunnels through challenging geological and mountainous terrain requires advanced construction techniques along with stringent safety and quality measures.
The project also includes 15 major bridges and 116 minor bridges, including the tallest bridge no. 164 at Noney with pier height of 141 meters.
There are 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.
The new railway line will provide direct rail connectivity between Imphal, the capital of Manipur and the rest of the country. This line will provide faster movement of passengers and goods especially essential commodities contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the region.