IMPHAL: In a significant development for Manipur’s infrastructure, the state has received its first consignment of cement by goods train at Khongsang station in Noney district, approximately 100 km from Imphal.
This milestone, reported on Monday (May 27), marks a crucial step in reducing transportation costs and making construction materials more accessible in Manipur.
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The consignment, which included tonnes of cement bags and hundreds of bags of potatoes, arrived via the newly operational goods train service.
These goods will be transported from Khongsang railway station to Imphal via National Highway 37, which connects Imphal to Silchar through Jiribam.
This initiative is expected to greatly reduce transportation costs, making construction materials more affordable and accelerating infrastructure development in Manipur.
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It addresses Manipur’s frequent challenges of bandh and economic blockades imposed by various outfits on the two key national highways, NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur route) and NH-39 (Imphal-Jiribam route).
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During periods of bandhs and blockades, as well as frequent landslides along these routes, Manipur faces steep price hikes and commodity shortages.
The new rail transport option is poised to mitigate these issues, ensuring a more stable supply of essential goods and supporting the local economy.
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh said, “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Indian Railways, North Frontier Railway (NFR), and the officials involved for their relentless efforts in making this possible.”
The introduction of rail transport for goods into Manipur represents a significant improvement in logistics and supply chain efficiency, promising enhanced economic stability and growth for the state.