Shillong: Imphal becomes the fifth Northeast capital linked to India's national rail grid by June 2029. The 111-km Jiribam to Imphal line costs Rs 22,000 crore. It links the Manipur capital to Jiribam, bordering Cachar district in southern Assam.
Dispur, Agartala, Itanagar, and Aizawl already operate on the network. Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the Bairabi to Sairang line on September 13, 2025. Workers face brutal terrain. A Northeast Frontier Railway official stated: "The Jiribam-Imphal New Line Project is one of the most challenging railway infrastructure projects being undertaken in the Northeast region."
Construction requires 54 tunnels stretching 66.47 km. Tunnel 12 spans 11.55 km. It surpasses the Pir Panjal tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir as the longest in the country. The route demands 15 major bridges and 116 minor bridges. This includes bridge 164 at Noney, which hits a record height of 141 metres.
Northeast Frontier Railway General Manager Ashish Bansal inspected progress at Khongsang, Awangkhul, and tunnel sites 28 and 12. The Commissioner of Railway Safety plans to check the Khongsang to Awangkhul section this October. Eleven stations will serve the line: Jiribam, Vangaichungpao, Rani Gaidinliu, Kambiron Halt, Thingou, Khongsang, Awangkhul, Noney, Tupul, Haochong Road Halt, and Imphal.
Officials started the broad gauge project in 2008. It holds National Project status. Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh promised full state support to finish the work. The line aims to speed up travel and boost the regional economy.
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