NEW DELHI, July 5: The north-eastern state of Manipur has entered the railway map of India with the first passenger train, Rajdhani Express from Assam’s Silchar, reaching Vaingaichunpao railway station in Manipur for a trial run.
According to reports, the train covered the distance of 11 km between the two northeastern stations, with railway officials onboard. The train halted briefly at Manipur’s Jiribam railway station, where railway officials were greeted by local citizens before the national flag was hoisted.
Addressing the media North East Frontier (NF) Railway senior PRO Nripen Bhattacharya, said the broad-gauge train service was extended up to Vaingaichunpao railway station from Silchar, and that the passenger train service from Vaingaichunpao to Silchar would start soon.
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh took to Twitter to hail the moment as “historic.” He said the “first trial run of a passenger train from Silchar to Vaingaichunpao in Tamenglong was successfully conducted. The people of Manipur are immensely grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Notably, the Vaingaichunpao-Imphal (capital of Manipur) railway line is also under construction. Once completed, it will be the longest railway tunnel near Imphal.
(Manas Dasgupta)