By Chanshimla Varah

Copyright newsbytesapp

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Bairabi-Sairang railway line on September 13. The 51.38-kilometer-long project connects Mizoram to India’s national railway network for the first time. Built by the North East Frontier Railway (NEFR), it took nearly a decade and ₹8,213.72 crore to complete. The new route will cut travel time between Aizawl and Silchar, Assam, from seven hours by road to three hours by train. Speaking to the Indian Express, a senior railway official confirmed the PM will flag off three new express trains. On September 13, three trains will be flagged off — two originating from Bairabi and one from Sairang. The Bairabi services will connect Kolkata and Guwahati, while from Sairang, a new Rajdhani Express will be introduced to link Mizoram with the national capital, the official said. The Bairabi-Sairang railway line is a major engineering feat, traversing through the hilly terrain of the Kolasib and Aizawl districts. It has 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges, and 87 minor bridges. Bridge No. 144 near Sairang is India’s tallest pier railway bridge at 114 meters. The project was sanctioned in the 2008-09 fiscal year as part of the Centre’s Act East Policy to improve connectivity with northeastern states. Once operational, the Bairabi-Sairang line is expected to improve passenger and freight movement, generate employment opportunities, and boost socio-economic growth in Mizoram. The new railway route will reduce travel time between Aizawl and Guwahati from 16 hours by road to just 12 hours by train. The new line project is divided into four sections: Bairabi-Hortoki, Hortoki-Kawnpui, Kawnpui-Mualkhang, and Mualkhang-Sairang. A 17-kilometer section of the Bairabi-Sairang railway line between Bairabi and Hortoki has been operational since July 2024. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the state is his second since 2014. He had last visited in December 2017 when he inaugurated the Turial hydroelectric project. During this visit, he will flag off new train services from Aizawl to Delhi, Kolkata, and Guwahati. Security has been tightened across Mizoram with all police units on high alert and Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) teams deployed in Aizawl.