AIZAWL: With the completion of the 51.38-km broad-gauge line from Bairabi to Sairang, Mizoram becomes the fourth Northeastern state to gain direct train connectivity to its capital. This marks a milestone in Indian Railways’ ambitious plan to link the capitals of all eight Northeastern states with the national rail network.
The line, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, connects Bairabi on the Assam–Mizoram border to Sairang, located 20 km from Aizawl and 12 km from Lengpui Airport. The new Sairang railway station will serve as the key railhead for Aizawl.
The project, for which approval was granted in 2008 and construction began in November 2014, has been built at a cost of ₹8,071 crore.
Engineering feat
The 51.38-km line, passing through the Kolasib and Aizawl districts, is an engineering feat, with over half its length running through tunnels and bridges. It includes 48 tunnels spanning 12.85 km, 55 major and 87 minor bridges, five road overbridges, and six road underbridges. The line has three intermediate stations at Hortoki, Kawnpui, and Mualkhang.
Among the bridges, Bridge No. 144 over the Kurung River near Sairang has earned the distinction of being the world’s second-tallest pier bridge, rising 114 metres above the ground. The tallest is the Noney Bridge in neighbouring Manipur, standing 141 metres tall, which is being built as part of the under-construction 111-km Jiribam–Imphal railway line.
Challenges faced
The railways faced huge challenges in building the Bairabi–Sairang line due to its rugged Indo-Burmese tectonic terrain, marked by steep slopes, deep valleys, and fragile, clay-like soil prone to erosion.
Northeast Frontier Railway (Construction), the agency which executed the project, with design and safety aspects reviewed by IIT Guwahati and IIT Roorkee, had to build 223 km of approach roads as well.
“Reaching construction sites for hill excavation and pier construction was extremely difficult, as there was no road access. NFR (Construction) built 223 km of approach roads, which have since benefitted several villages in Kolasib and Aizawl districts,” a railway official explained.
In addition to the topographical challenges, the project encountered other obstacles as well, including opposition to workers brought in from other states and the non-availability of construction materials in Mizoram, which meant they had to be transported from Bihar and Jharkhand.
To address local resistance, the Railways eventually engaged local people from Mizoram in the construction work. The project progressed at a slow pace due to the region’s short working season of just 6–7 months a year. “Despite higher wages, many labourers left the project because of the remote location and lack of internet connectivity at worksites,” the official added.
Expectations
Locals in Dawrpui told TNIE that the railway line will help tackle the high cost of road travel from Silchar to Aizawl, which currently costs between Rs 1,200 and Rs 2,000 along the hilly two-lane highway. “During the monsoon season, which lasts for more than five months, landslides frequently cut off road access. Flights, too, are unreliable as they often get cancelled due to bad weather, and there are no departures after 4 pm,” said Anthony Zohmingliana, a resident.
M. Sathish Kumar, a project associate at Mizoram Central University and a resident of Aizawl for 15 years, noted that over 8 lakh of Mizoram’s 14 lakh population live in and around Aizawl. “This project will benefit a large section of the population, reducing dependence on flights and cabs,” he said.
Joel Lalengmawii of Lengpui said, “My family often travels via Silchar to reach Manipur, Punjab, and Kerala. But the 154-km journey to Silchar takes 9–10 hours by road. We have been told train fares will be cheaper, but only when services begin will we know how much difference it really makes.”
S. S. Ajin, a PhD student at Mizoram University, said, “We mostly rely on flights or road transport. There are times when vegetables and other essentials do not reach the city for a few days due to landslides on the national highways, and there are no other public transport options. Train connectivity will greatly benefit people from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and other states traveling to Mizoram.”
Once the line becomes operational, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will be able to transport freight for the public distribution system by train, significantly reducing the cost of transporting goods, vegetables, and other items from other states. “Initially, passenger services may run between Sairang and Silchar,” the railway official added.
Rail connectivity to northeast
At present, the railway line through Assam's capital, Guwahati, serves as a gateway to the seven other Northeastern states. From Guwahati, branch lines extend to Bairabi—a station just 7 km inside Mizoram on the Silchar–Bairabi section—where a passenger train currently runs daily between Bairabi and Silchar. This link to Silchar connects Mizoram with northern and southern states via Guwahati. Additionally, it provides connectivity to Manipur and Nagaland.
Guwahati (Assam), Agartala (Tripura), and Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) are the other state capitals with rail connectivity. Work is under way to connect the capitals of Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, and Nagaland. NFR officials said they expect these works to be completed by December 2029.
It may be noted that Sikkim remains the only Northeastern state without rail connectivity, mainly due to local opposition.
Extending to Myanmar
Highlighting plans to develop Sairang station with state-of-the-art facilities, the railway official said the government is also exploring the feasibility of extending the line from Sairang to Myanmar.
“The proposed route would cover 230 km within Mizoram and the remainder in Myanmar. If realized, this would reduce freight transport from South India to Mizoram via Visakhapatnam and Kolkata ports from 2,000 km to just 500 km,” the official explained.
Fact File: Bairabi–Sairang Broad Gauge Line
New Line: Bairabi–Sairang (51.38 km)
Key Locations:
Bairabi: Border station on Assam–Mizoram border
Sairang: 20 km from Aizawl, Mizoram
Project Cost: Rs 8,071 crore
Guwahati (Assam): Only railway gateway for all eight Northeastern states
Line from Guwahati runs to Bairabi (7 km from Assam border via Silchar)
Bairabi–Silchar (105 km): Daily passenger train operational
New Line: Sairang–Silchar (155 km), passenger services to be introduced
Two-lane National Highway is the only mode of access to Aizawl
Travel Cost: Rs 1,000–Rs 1,600 per person (Silchar → Aizawl)
Travel Time: 8–9 hours by road; train will reduce it to 3 hours
Assam – Guwahati
Tripura – Agartala
Arunachal Pradesh – Itanagar
Mizoram – Sairang (to be inaugurated)