The rail link, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹8,071 crore, is the first major railway project for Mizoram. The railway line ending at Sairang, about 20 km from Aizawl, will connect Mizoram’s capital with other northeastern states and the rest of India.
The rail link is expected to reduce the travel time between Aizawl and Assam’s Silchar to just 3 hours, from the current 6 to 8 hours by road.
Earlier, residents of Mizoram used to travel by road or by air. Once operational, the project will provide Mizoram with its first direct rail link. The Sairang-Bairabi line will directly connect Aizawl to Silchar in Assam via Bhodahpur Junction.
For Mizoram, the project will also link the railway network with Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.
Features of the Bairabi-Sairang railway line:
- The new railway line has India’s second-tallest pier bridge, which is 114 metres high, even taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar.
- It has 45 tunnels and 153 bridges.
- The railway link can sustain a top speed of 100 km per hour for trains.
- Five road bridges and six underpasses have also been built on this line.
Along the route, four new stations have been built at Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang and Sairang.
Apart from boosting connectivity, the railway line is expected to facilitate the transportation of essential goods, food items and fuel, bringing down prices of several items for the residents of Mizoram.
According to a Ministry of Railways spokesperson, “With passenger trains running at speeds up to 100 kmph, people in Mizoram can now reach healthcare facilities, universities and commercial hubs with far greater ease than ever before.”
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
