Manipur landslide: It is time Railways starts paying heed to locals’ opinion

About three months ago, the first goods train arrived at the newly-constructed Khongsang railway station in Manipur’s Noney district. This was part of a trial run for the first passenger train from Jiribam via Rani Gaidinliu (Kaimai) and Thingou railway stations to reach Khongshang, covering about 62 km. The North Frontier Railways (NFR) chief engineer Sandeep Sharma, among others, attended the event. It seemed a matter of time before Manipur would finally get its dedicated railway system by December 2023. 

Then came June 30. 

The tragedy at the Tupul substation in Makhuam village of the Noney district claimed 61 lives. Fourteen bodies are yet to be found. The landslide also created an artificial dam, feared to affect the flow of the Aga (Ijei) River, an important river that runs through the village and many other villages along this rail route. Among the missing are two families who had temporarily settled around the station to make a living. A visit to the site four days after the incident witnessed task forces from the army, police and local student organisations camped at the site and working in the harsh sun and rain to retrieve the bodies.