Imphal, April 14 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Tuesday visited the ongoing construction site of the Imphal railway station at Yurembam in Imphal West district and reviewed the progress of the much-anticipated 111-km Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal railway project, officials said.

An official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated that the Chief Minister was briefed by officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) regarding the current status of the Imphal railway station construction as well as the broader Jiribam (near southern Assam) –Tupul — Imphal railway project.

During the briefing, NFR officials informed the Chief Minister that the ambitious railway project is targeted for completion by December 2028. Singh also visited the construction site of Tunnel No. 12 at Sangaithel, which is a crucial segment of the Jiribam –Tupul–Imphal railway line.

At the site, he interacted with engineers and officials to assess the pace and quality of the ongoing work. During the inspection, the Chief Minister was accompanied by MLAs Sapam Ranjan and Sorokhaibam Rajen, Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) Anurag Bajpai, Commissioner to the Chief Minister N. Ashok Kumar, Transport Director Kh. Diana, along with other senior government officials.

According to NFR officials, the Rs 21,885 crore Jiribam-Imphal railway project has already achieved nearly 90 per cent physical progress, marking a significant milestone in infrastructure development in the region.

Officials noted that once completed, the railway line is expected to provide a major boost to tourism, facilitate industrial growth, generate employment opportunities, and contribute substantially to the overall socio-economic development of Manipur.

Upon completion of the project, Imphal will be connected to the national railway network, becoming the fifth capital city in the northeastern region to have rail connectivity, after Dispur in Assam, Agartala in Tripura, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, and Aizawl in Mizoram.

Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla earlier visited Noney district to inspect the construction of what is set to be the world’s highest railway pier bridge over the Ijei River. This engineering landmark forms an integral part of the 111-km Jiribam–Imphal railway project and is expected to play a vital role in linking the state capital with the national railway grid.

During his visit, railway engineers briefed the Governor on the progress of the bridge construction, informing him that the structure is nearing completion and is expected to be finished soon.

Bhalla lauded the efforts of the engineers and workers involved in the project and encouraged them to maintain their commitment and diligence in the larger interest of the people of the state.

–IANS

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