Mizoram's Aizawl gets its first rail link with completion of Bairabi-Sairang broad gauge line
NEW DELHI: Mizoram's capital is set to be connected to the Indian Railways network for the first time, with the completion of the 51.38-km Bairabi–Sairang broad gauge railway line — a major milestone for the northeastern state and a significant boost to regional connectivity.
The ambitious project, which links Aizawl to the national railway grid via Silchar, includes 48 tunnels and numerous bridges, and is now fully complete, awaiting formal inauguration.
Chief Engineer of the project, Vinod Kumar, said the railway line was sanctioned in 2008-09 and later declared a National Project. Land acquisition was completed by 2014, following which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on November 29, 2014.
“The biggest challenge has been the season, as this region has a prolonged monsoon season and also has landslide issues. Additionally, there are issues related to the labour force, as most of them come from other states,” Kumar said.
“We have designed the project in a way that it remains unaffected even during the monsoon. This is the second-highest bridge in Northeast India, and the life of the project is expected to be above 100 years. PM Modi laid the foundation stone in 2014, and we are happy that it is being completed in his tenure only. It is one of the government’s achievements in 11 years,” he added.
Despite the region's tough terrain and logistical challenges, the project has successfully established a direct rail connection to Aizawl for the first time in history — a move hailed as a transformative step for the state’s infrastructure and economic development.
Once inaugurated, the Bairabi–Sairang line will mark a major milestone in India's efforts to integrate the Northeast with the rest of the country through enhanced transportation networks.
The ambitious project, which links Aizawl to the national railway grid via Silchar, includes 48 tunnels and numerous bridges, and is now fully complete, awaiting formal inauguration.
Chief Engineer of the project, Vinod Kumar, said the railway line was sanctioned in 2008-09 and later declared a National Project. Land acquisition was completed by 2014, following which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on November 29, 2014.
“The biggest challenge has been the season, as this region has a prolonged monsoon season and also has landslide issues. Additionally, there are issues related to the labour force, as most of them come from other states,” Kumar said.
“We have designed the project in a way that it remains unaffected even during the monsoon. This is the second-highest bridge in Northeast India, and the life of the project is expected to be above 100 years. PM Modi laid the foundation stone in 2014, and we are happy that it is being completed in his tenure only. It is one of the government’s achievements in 11 years,” he added.
Despite the region's tough terrain and logistical challenges, the project has successfully established a direct rail connection to Aizawl for the first time in history — a move hailed as a transformative step for the state’s infrastructure and economic development.
Once inaugurated, the Bairabi–Sairang line will mark a major milestone in India's efforts to integrate the Northeast with the rest of the country through enhanced transportation networks.
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