Minister of state for Railway Rajen Gohain blamed the three and half months continuing blockade imposed by the United Naga Council for hampering the Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal railway which would connect the Trans Asian Railway network.
Talking to the reporters at BJP office in Imphal, Gohain said out of the 111 km long railway line a distance of 12. 50 km from Jiribam has been completed and will be commissioned soon.
The project that began in 2008 has 45 tunnels totalling a distance of 63 km and out of which 43 kms have been completed, said the minister.
Till January this year a sum of Rs. 5,905 crores have been utilised and for the year 2017-18 a sum of Rs. 2,00 crores have been allocated in the year’s budget.
There are 26 major bridges and 140 minor bridges in the project and the expected overall project cost is Rs. 9, 700 crores, added Gohain.
He said the railway line has the tallest bridge over Iril river which is 141 meter high and has the longest railway tunnel of 11.55 km. The treck upto Tupul will be commissioned in December next year and compete upto Imphal in December 2019. The survey of the railway line connecting Imphal to Moreh, border down neighbouring Myanmar has been completed, and the railway connecting Imphal will help in the Act East Policy said the minister.
The reaching of railway head to Imphal will ease the problems of transport and at the same time helps trading while it gives employment opportunities in the state. This important railway project could have completed major portions of works if there has not been such a long economic blockade. If this railway line is completed such blockade cannot be able to disturb ferrying of goods towards the state, said Gohain.
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