Indian Railways’ ₹8,071 Crore ‘Mission Impossible’ Completed World’s Tallest Rail Pier Bridge Now Operational

The engineering marvel cuts a 10-hour road journey to just 2.5 hours, linking Manipur to the national network

Indian Railways has achieved a historic milestone with the completion of the world’s tallest railway pier bridge in Manipur, marking a new chapter in the country’s ambitious rail expansion. The bridge, part of the 111-km Jiribam–Imphal railway line project, stands at an astonishing 141 metres (462 feet), taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar and has been hailed as an engineering marvel.

Built at a cost of ₹8,071 crore, Noney bridge, known as Bridge project No. 164, was one of the most challenging components of the project due to its location across hilly terrain and deep valleys. Its towering piers, P3 and P4, are the tallest in the world. Unlike arch bridges, where load is transferred through a curved structure, this pier bridge relies on massive vertical pillars to carry its weight.

The line, which also features 45 tunnels, 55 major bridges, and 88 smaller ones, has drastically reduced travel time, shrinking the earlier 10-hour road journey to just 2.5 hours by train.

कुतुब मीनार से भी ऊँचा रेल ब्रिज!

📍मिजोरम pic.twitter.com/av1cECWgCY

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) September 12, 2025

Expanding connectivity in the Northeast

With this, Mizoram has also joined the list of Northeastern states with capital rail connectivity, thanks to the 51.38-km Bairabi–Sairang broad-gauge line completed recently. Mizoram becomes the fourth Northeastern state to achieve this, after Assam, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Mizoram line itself is a feat, with 48 tunnels, 55 major and 87 minor bridges, and several road overbridges/underbridges. Among these, Bridge No. 144 near Sairang is the world’s second-tallest pier bridge, standing at 114 metres.

Currently, Guwahati acts as the primary rail gateway to the region, but Indian Railways is working on linking all eight Northeastern state capitals by December 2029.

Strategic importance

Officials highlight that this project not only connects Imphal more effectively with the rest of India but also strengthens the strategic and economic importance of the Northeast. By cutting travel time drastically, the line is expected to boost trade, tourism, and regional integration.