In a major milestone for Mizoram’s connectivity, a trial train engine successfully reached Sairang — on the western outskirts of Aizawl — for the first time on Wednesday, April 30.
This marks significant progress in the 51.38-km Bairabi–Sairang broad-gauge railway project, which is now nearing completion.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has confirmed that the project is 95 per cent complete, with ₹7,714 crore already spent out of the total sanctioned budget of ₹8,215 crore.
A second trial engine run is scheduled for next Thursday as part of ongoing trial operations.
Final safety inspections by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, are expected in May or June. Full-scale operations on the railway line are projected to begin by July.
In August 2024, the CRS had already approved train services on the Bairabi–Hortoki section after successful speed trials, authorising speeds of up to 100 km/h. That approval marked a critical step in the phased rollout of the broader project.
The Bairabi–Sairang railway line is a transformative infrastructure initiative under the Central Government’s Act East Policy, aimed at improving connectivity and fostering economic development in the Northeast region.
The line comprises four stations — Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang-Sihhmui — and includes 32 tunnels, 55 major bridges and 89 minor bridges highlighting the scale and complexity of the project.
Once fully operational, the railway line is expected to significantly reduce travel time and logistics costs in Mizoram, boost tourism and strengthen trade routes in line with India’s strategic goal of enhancing ties with Southeast Asia.
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