Work for world’s tallest pier railway bridge, part of Manipur rail project, nearing end

Guwahati : The work for the giant Noney bridge, considered as the world’s tallest railway pier bridge at 141 metres that is an integral part of the vital Jiribam-Imphal railway line project in Manipur, is nearing completion, officials said on Thursday.

With the completion of the 111-km Jiribam (Assam)-Imphal line early next year, the Manipur capital would come onto the Indian Railways network, making Imphal the fourth capital city in the northeastern region to have a rail link. The Rs 14,322 crore Jiribam-Imphal railway project has already achieved physical progress of over 95 per cent.

The Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), Sabyasachi De, said that the Jiribam-Imphal railway project is one of the crucial connectivity projects for the northeastern region which is at an advanced stage nearing completion.

Indian Railways is significantly contributing towards transformation of the northeastern states by executing several new railway projects and the Jiribam-Imphal link plays a vital role in the overall scenario. Constructing new railway lines to connect all the state capitals of the northeastern region is going on under these capital connectivity projects, the CPRO said.

Highlighting the latest progress card, he said the giant Noney bridge is nearing completion, which 80 per cent of the work having been completed. “Once completed, the bridge would represent a testament to human ingenuity and engineering prowess as the sheer magnitude of the structure would bean awe-inspiring, symbolising a commitment to overcoming geographical challenges to ensure seamless rail connectivity,” De said.

According to the CPRO, not only connectivity, but the completion of the Noney bridge and the Jiribam-Imphal railway line is poised to spur economic development in Manipur and the surrounding regions. Transportation of goods and passengers via rail would reduce costs, enhance trade, and encourage investment in industries and infrastructure.

Additionally, it is likely to create new job opportunities and contribute to the overall prosperity of the region. It will also serve as a vital artery in the larger plan to integrate the northeastern states with the rest of the country with improved connectivity, and is expected to boost trade, tourism and people-to-people interactions, the official said.

He also said that with 11 major bridges and 137 minor bridges, construction of the Jiribam-Imphal railway project involves multiple tunnels and the total length of tunnels in this project is 61.32 km. Guwahati adjoining Assam capital Dispur, Agartala and Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh, adjacent to state capital Itanagar, are already on the railway map.