Guwahati, Dec 8 (IANS): In a rare feat, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has constructed a 100 meter tall pier in the world's tallest railway bridge being built near Noney in Manipur.

Calling it a rare feat and an achievement, an NFR spokesman said, "The bridge is being constructed as part of the 111-km-long Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal new broad gauge line project. The project picked up momentum in the last three years due to its importance as a National Project."

He added that there are 45 tunnels in the project, the longest being of 10.280 km. "The tunnel will also be the longest railway tunnel in the northeast," he stated.

The Noney Bridge is being constructed across the valley of river Ijai near Noney with a pier height of 141 meters.

"On completion, the bridge is expected to exceed the existing record of 139 meter of Mala-Rijeka viaduct in Montenegro in Europe. The total length of the bridge will be 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," he said.

The spokesman further stated that self-erecting electric lifts at each pier cater to the safe and speedy conveyance of men and materials to the top. The steel girders are pre-fabricated in a workshop, transported in segments and erected at site by cantilever launching scheme.