Imphal: The Northeast Frontier (NF) Railways and Manipur University on Thursday signed an agreement for opening a centre on landslide hazard mitigation.
The MoU was signed in the backdrop of the 111 km long Jiribam-Imphal new railway project with an anticipated cost of around Rs 14,322 crores which has already achieved over 91% physical progress.
The entire project having 52 tunnels, 11 major bridges, and 129 minor bridges is targeted to be completed by December 2023.
Anshul Gupta, General Manager of NF Railway and Manipur University VC Prof N Lokendro signed the pact in presence of top railway officials and teachers, and students of the university.
Speaking on the occasion Anshul Gupta said that the opening of the centre will not only extend help and assistance to the people of the state but also to the people of the whole Himalayan region.
He also said that hazard mitigation planning reduces the risk to people and property, and reduces the cost of recovering from natural disasters of soil erosion, landslides, rains, flood, and earthquakes.
A hazard mitigation plan can help communities become more sustainable and disaster-resistant by focusing efforts on the hazards, and disaster-prone areas and identifying appropriate mitigation actions.
VC N Lokendro expressing his gratitude to the Indian railway officials said that the Manipur University had produced a good number of academicians, who would always be ready to extend help and assistance to the Railways when there is any problem in the tracking of the railway lines and construction works on the soils of Manipur.
The 111-km-long Jiribam-Imphal rail link starts from the existing Jiribam Rail station in Manipur bordering Assam on the west and will connect the capital city Imphal with the country’s broad gauge network.