Manipur to have world's tallest pier bridge, beating Mala - Rijeka Viaduct in Europe

The Indian Railways is constructing the world’s tallest pier bridge across river Ijai in Manipur. The tallest pier will have a height of 141 metres, which surpasses the existing record of 139 meters of the Mala - Rijeka Viaduct, Montenegro in Europe.

The new bridge is a part of the 111 kilometre-long Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal line project. The total length of this bridge is 703 meters. The piers of the bridge are constructed using hydraulic augers, the tall piers needed specially designed “slip-form technique" to ensure efficient and continual construction, reported Mint.

A senior railway official has told the publication that the steel girders used in the construction of the bridge are pre-fabricated in a workshop, transported in segments and erected at the site by Cantilever launching scheme. 'Self-erecting' electric lifts are used at each pier for the safe and speedy conveyance of men and materials to the top," a North-East Frontier Railway official said.

The project will have a total of 45 tunnels and tunnel number 12 will have a total length of 10.280 kilometres, making it the longest tunnel in the North East.