The project has also created four new stations — Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang — improving access for communities along the route.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Mizoram’s first-ever railway line — the Bairabi–Sairang broad-gauge project. This marks a historic leap in the state’s connectivity. Built at a cost of ₹8,070 crore, the 51.38-km line is considered one of the most challenging projects in Indian Railways’ history.
The project was first sanctioned in 2008–09, and construction began in 2015. It includes 45 tunnels, 55 major bridges, 87 minor bridges, and 10 road over- and underpasses. Nearly 54% of the alignment runs through tunnels and bridges.
A major highlight is Bridge No. 144 near Sairang. At 114 metres high, it stands taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar, making it the tallest pier railway bridge in India, according to the Northeast Frontier Railway.
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The project has also created four new stations — Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang — improving access for communities along the route.
This new route connects Bairabi on the Assam–Mizoram border to Sairang, just 20 km away from Aizawl. For the first time, Mizoram’s capital will be linked directly to India’s railway network.
With this, Aizawl becomes the fourth northeastern capital with direct rail access, after Guwahati, Agartala, and Itanagar.
Alongside the inauguration, PM Modi flagged off three new long-distance trains:
The inaugural Rajdhani left Sairang at 10 am on Saturday and will reach Delhi’s Anand Vihar Terminal on September 15. Regular services will run every Friday from Sairang and every Sunday from Delhi.
The Guwahati Express will operate daily from September 13. The Kolkata Express will run thrice a week.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the line will provide “safe, efficient and cost-effective travel options,” while ensuring the timely supply of essentials such as food grains and fertilisers.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project overcame “Himalayan geology and complex terrain.” He added that engineers even had to solidify loose sand into rock formations before tunnelling.
PM Modi also laid foundation stones for infrastructure projects worth over ₹9,000 crore. These include:
The 45-km Aizawl Bypass Road under PM-DevINE.
The Thenzawl–Sialsuk Road and Khankawn–Rongura Road under NESIDS.
The Chhimtuipui Bridge under the Kaladan Multimodal Transit framework.
These projects aim to ease travel, boost agriculture, and support cross-border trade. They will also benefit farmers growing paddy, ginger, and dragon fruit.
Other projects include an LPG bottling plant at Mualkhang, new sports facilities, and residential schools under PMJVK and the Eklavya Model scheme.
Officials said the Bairabi–Sairang railway will reduce travel time, create jobs, and boost tourism.
“This project has been constructed under great challenges,” Vaishnaw said. He added that it represents a major step in the government’s Act East Policy.
