Mizoram Gets First Rail Link as Bairabi-Sairang Line Opens

• Bairabi-Sairang railway line connects Aizawl, Mizoram’s capital, to India’s rail network.

• 51.38 km stretch includes 48 tunnels, 40 bridges; tallest bridge stands at 104m.

• Travel time to Guwahati to drop by 6 hours; rail fares expected around ₹450.

GG News Bureau
Aizawl, 15th July: After 26 years in the making, Mizoram’s capital Aizawl is finally on India’s railway map. The 51.38-kilometre Bairabi–Sairang railway line, an engineering marvel built through some of the country’s most challenging terrain, is now complete and awaiting formal inauguration.

The project features 48 tunnels totaling nearly 13 km and over 40 bridges, including Bridge No. 196, which towers 104 metres above the ground—making it taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar by 42 metres. Constructed through steep hills, dense forests, and landslide-prone zones, the rail line is being hailed as a feat of perseverance and innovation.

“We battled landslides and extreme weather. This was one of the toughest projects we’ve handled,” said Vinod Kumar, Chief Engineer of the project.

The new rail link is expected to cut travel time between Guwahati and Aizawl from 18 hours by road to under 12 hours by train. The journey is estimated to cost around ₹450, making it a cost-effective and efficient lifeline for traders, students, and tourists.

“Mizoram had no train link till now. This project will transform connectivity in the Northeast,” said KK Sharma, CPRO, Northeast Frontier Railway. “Labourers, many of whom lived near the site for years, worked through unpredictable weather and rough terrain.”

One of the workers, hailing from Assam, recalled:

“It rained for months. But we stayed, worked, and built this with our hands.”

The line is part of the Centre’s broader strategy to improve infrastructure in the Northeast, linking remote regions with the national mainstream. As the Bairabi-Sairang project nears its official commissioning, it stands as a landmark of connectivity and national integration—finally bringing Mizoram into the Indian railway network.