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Northeast

Jiribam-Imphal Rail Line Nears Completion After Years of Delay

By Sentinel NE Desk · June 12, 2026 · 1 min read
Photo: Haoreima / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Jiribam-Imphal railway line, a long-delayed project to connect Manipur’s capital to India’s national rail network, had reached roughly 90–93% physical progress as of March 2026, according to Northeast Frontier Railway figures, with completion of the remaining stretch still targeted for later this year.

The 111-kilometre line includes a 55.36-kilometre Jiribam-Khongsang section that has been operational since 2022, while the remaining Khongsang-Noney (18.25 km) and Noney-Imphal (37.02 km) sections remain under construction. The project includes Tunnel No. 12, at 11.55 kilometres reportedly India’s longest railway tunnel, part of a ₹21,885-crore investment.

Manipur’s government has pledged support to fast-track the project, with the state Chief Minister reviewing progress in March 2026. Once complete, the line is expected to cut the roughly 10-hour road journey between Jiribam and Imphal to about 2.5 hours by rail — a significant change for a state whose supply routes have repeatedly been disrupted by blockades and unrest in recent years.

Timelines for full completion have shifted before: while physical construction was targeted for completion by December 2026, Northeast Frontier Railway has indicated the line reaching Imphal itself may extend into 2028 given the terrain and remaining tunnel work.

Sentinel NE Desk will note any further schedule changes as the final sections near completion.

Compiled from reporting by Social News XYZ, Construction World, and Rail Analysis Sentinel NE Desk cross-checked project progress figures across these accounts before publication. Photo: file image used for general context.

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