Guwahati. Ashish Bansal, General Manager, Construction, North East Frontier Railway (PURF), recently inspected Jiribam – Khongsang, Khongsang – Awangkhul and Awangkhul – Imphal sections under the prestigious Jiribam – Imphal New Railway Line Project.
During the inspection, he reviewed the progress of various construction works and took stock of the status of important railway infrastructure works under the project.
Bansal also inspected the Khongsang–Awangkhul section including the yard and reviewed the preparations for the proposed CRS inspection in October 2026.
Apart from this, he also inspected the tunnel numbers 28 and 12 and took stock of the progress of the ongoing tunneling works under the project.
The Jiribam–Imphal New Railway Line Project has a total length of 110.625 km and is one of the most challenging railway infrastructure projects being implemented in the North Eastern region.
The project passes through difficult and mountainous terrain, involving construction of tunnels and bridges on a large scale.
This new railway line is being developed to provide direct rail connectivity to Imphal, the capital of Manipur, which will strengthen the transport network of the state and the entire North Eastern region.
Key features of this project include its extensive tunnel network. The project consists of 54 tunnels, with a total length of approximately 66.47 kilometres.
The construction of these tunnels in challenging geological and mountainous conditions is a significant engineering achievement, requiring advanced construction techniques as well as adherence to stringent safety and quality standards.
The project also includes 15 major and 116 minor bridges. Among these, bridge number 164 located at Noni is especially noteworthy, whose pier height is 141 meters.
These structures are being constructed to ensure safe and uninterrupted movement of rail and road traffic.
There are a total of 11 railway stations on the Jiribam–Imphal new railway line. These stations are—Jiribam, Wangaichungpao, Rani Gaidinliu, Kambiron Halt, Thingau, Khongsang, Awangkhul, Noni, Tupul, Haochong Road Halt and Imphal.
These stations will provide better rail connectivity to the people of the surrounding areas and will act as important hubs for passenger and freight transportation. This project is being implemented in a phased manner.
The Jiribam–Wangaichungpao section was commissioned in February 2017, while the Wangaichungpao–Khongsang section was commissioned in September 2022. Work is also progressing towards completing the remaining sections in a phased manner.
During the inspection, Bansal laid special emphasis on maintaining the highest standards of safety, construction quality and timely execution.
He reviewed the progress of works with the concerned officers and field personnel and directed for continuous monitoring of construction activities and prompt resolution of problems to ensure smooth progress of the project.
Jiribam-Imphal new railway line will significantly improve connectivity between Manipur and other parts of the country. Apart from providing faster and more reliable passenger transport facilities, this railway line will facilitate the movement of essential commodities and other goods, further strengthen the transport system and contribute significantly to the overall economic and social development of the region.