Imphal, May 27 (DIPR): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today flagged off the Jiribam-Silchar passenger train through remote from Shillong today. This first daily passenger train flagged off today has brought Manipur into the broad gauge passenger railway map of India. The function was attended at Jiribam by Dr T Meinya (MP Inner Manipur), Thangso Baite (MP Outer Manipur), E Ashalata Devi (Chairperson, Jiribam Municipal Council), M Lakshmikumar Singh, IAS (Transport Commissioner) and Ajit Pandit (Chief Administrative Officer, North East Frontier Railway) while the Prime Minister flagged off the said train services.
The 55666 Jiribam-Silchar passenger train will leave Jiribam at 3 pm to reach Silchar at 5.20 pm while the 55665 Silchar-Jiribam will leave Silchar at 8.45 am to reach Jiribam at 11 am. The fare would be Rs 15 per passenger. The distance between Jiribam and Silchar railway line is 55 kms. The train will have seven stoppages at Jirighat, Kamranga, Shribar, Ranigaon, Moinarband, New Silchar and Arunachal Junction en route between Jiribam and Silchar.
The railway line from Jiribam will be further extended to Imphal with the construction of a new 111 km broad gauge line at an estimated cost of Rs 9047 crore. The first 12.5 km of this line from Jiribam to Dholakhal has been completed and commissioned for freight train running. This project has also been declared as a National Project in February 2005. There is also a plan for extension of this line to Moreh near Myanmar border in the near future.
The Jiribam-Silchar passenger train service was flagged off simultaneously with Bhairabi-Silchar Passenger train and Kamakhya-Katra (Weekly) Express. The Bhairabi train will first connect Katakhal (84 km) in Cachar, Assam and then on to Silchar. The distance between Kathakhal and Silchar is about 28 kms. The train which will run between Bhairabi and Silchar is of a normal broad gauge passenger train.