Mizoram's Aizawl Becomes Fourth Northeast Capital Connected By Rail As Trial Run Succeeds

In a major boost to connectivity in the Northeast, Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl, has been successfully linked to the national railway network through the Bairabi–Sairang rail line, the Indian Express reported.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) conducted a trial run on 1 May, marking a significant milestone for the region.

It is the fourth capital city in the Northeast to gain rail connectivity, following Guwahati, Agartala, and Itanagar.

The 51.38 km Bairabi–Sairang rail line extends from Bairabi, Mizoram’s only previous railhead near the Assam border in Kolasib district, to Sairang, a satellite town about 20 km from Aizawl.

A senior official from the Ministry of Railways said the line’s formal inauguration is expected after 17 June, pending the final inspection by the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS).

According to the Ministry of Railways, the project has reached 94.52 per cent physical completion and 97.13 per cent financial progress. The line, sanctioned at a revised cost of Rs 5,021.45 crore, is being completed in four sections.

Constructing the line posed significant engineering challenges due to Mizoram’s rugged terrain. The project features 48 tunnels spanning a total of 12.85 km, 55 major bridges, 87 minor bridges, five road overbridges, and six road underbridges. Among the standout structures is Bridge No. 196, which rises to 104 metres, 32 metres taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar.

The Bairabi-Sairang line is part of a plan that includes several new lines and doubling projects in to improve infrastructure and connectivity in the Northeast.