PM Modi Likely To Inaugurate Bairabi–Sairang Link On Sept. 13: Check Key Details About The Railway Project

Mizoram's capital, Aizawl, is set to be connected to India's railway network for the first time through the Bairabi–Sairang line. This marks a remarkable moment for the northeastern state, which until now had no direct rail connectivity with its capital city. The Bairabi–Sairang railway line is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his proposed visit to the state on Sept. 13.

The newly constructed railway line will make travel easier and more convenient for the people of Mizoram, especially the residents of Aizawl.

Work on the line began nearly 26 years ago, but the challenging hilly terrain and heavy monsoon caused repeated delays.

The new line, stretching 51.38 km, links Bairabi railway station with Sairang station, which is located just 20 km from Aizawl. The route comprises four stations, starting from Bairabi, followed by Hortoki and Mualkhang, before ending at Sairang.

As part of the line, five Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and six Road Under Bridges (RUBs) have been constructed.

"We battled landslides and extreme weather. This was one of the toughest projects we've handled," said Vinod Kumar, Chief Engineer, NDTV reported.

The project has been built at a budget of over Rs 8,000 crore. 

The railway line features 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges and 87 minor bridges. Bridge No. 196 is the most notable of these, standing 104 metres above the surface and 42 metres taller than Delhi's Qutub Minar.

The project has been designed with modern safety and eco-friendly features in mind. Inside the tunnels, the railways have installed LED lighting systems, and solar power systems have also been introduced to cut down on energy costs.

The fare is estimated to be around Rs 450 between Guwahati and Aizawl.

With a speed of 100 km per hour, now passengers can reach Aizawl from Assam's Silchar in just three hours, which takes six to eight hours by road currently. The connectivity is also expected to reduce travel time between Guwahati and Aizawl from 18 hours by road to under 12 hours by train.

Until now, people in Mizoram could only travel by road or by air, since the state had no direct railway connectivity.

"Mizoram had no train link till now. This project will transform connectivity in the Northeast," said KK Sharma, CPRO, Northeast Frontier Railway, ANI reported.