SOBHAPATI SAMOM
IMPHAL, Feb 8 – A large section of villagers in Manipur’s most backward district Tamenglong were irked over the diversion of the 170-km Jiri-Tupul railway line which has the longest rail tunnel in India.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had laid the foundation stone of the railway track, which has 13 tunnels in all – one of them being 8 km long, on November 20, 2004. Once completed it would replace Maharashtra’s Karbude tunnel (6.5 km) as longest railway tunnel in India.
Voicing concern against the concerned authorities’ decision to divert the Rs 1100-crore Jiri-Tupul railway line at Lhangnom village in the district, Lalkholen Thangneo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for restoration of Railway Line Jiri-Tupul, said that it has been the long cherished dream of the 30-odd villages in the area to see better days with the coming of the railway line, adding that this diversion would dash this dream.
He informed that the committee had also submitted a memorandum to Manipur Chief Minister wherein they were told to consult the concerned authorities of the railway line, with assurance by the Chief Minister that he would look into the matter.
The committee has already submitted a petition to the General Manager (construction) Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway, Maligaon, Guwahati and to the Deputy Chief Engineer, NF Railway (Jeri-Tupul), Silchar, Cachar for redressal of their grievances over the proposed re-alignment of the Jiri-Tupul railway line.
So far, almost 80 percent of the first 10 km of the railway line from Jiribam side has been completed, though the initial completion target was within 2012.