Hortoki–Sairang Line Gets Railway Safety Commissioner's Nod, Connecting Mizoram’s Capital To National Rail Network

The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) has granted authorisation for operations on the Hortoki–Sairang railway line, effectively linking Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, with the Indian Railways network for the first time.

The line’s clearance follows an inspection by Sumeet Singhal, Commissioner of Railway Safety for the Northeast Frontier Circle, conducted from 6 to 10 June, Indian Express reported.

The 33.86 km stretch forms the final leg of the 51.38 km Bairabi–Sairang rail project, aimed at improving rail connectivity in the region.

“The CRS inspection was conducted via motor trolley and on foot, followed by a speed trial using an inspection special hauled by a diesel locomotive. The Hortoki–Sairang section lies in hilly terrain and includes 32 tunnels and 35 major bridges," Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

"Following the inspection, the CRS has authorised the opening of the broad gauge line from Hortoki to Sairang for public carriage of goods and passengers at a maximum permissible speed of 90 kmph on the main line,” he added.

Until now, Bairabi located near the Assam border in Kolasib district was Mizoram’s only railway access point.

With this clearance, trains will soon begin operating on the full Bairabi–Sairang stretch, offering a critical connectivity boost to Aizawl, located approximately 20 km from Sairang.

The ambitious project includes 48 tunnels (totalling 12,853 metres), 55 major bridges, 87 minor bridges, and infrastructure such as road overbridges and underbridges.

One bridge reaches a height of 104 metres, surpassing the Qutub Minar by 42 metres.

Part of a wider initiative to link all northeastern state capitals by rail, the project is among 18 railway undertakings in the region.

As of April 2024, Rs 40,549 crore had been spent on 1,368 km of railway works, with 313 km commissioned.

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