The Indian Railways, often called the nation’s heartbeat, is now bringing Mizoram, the small northeastern state, closer to the rest of the country. This has been made possible through the 52 km Bairabi-Sairang railway line, a project that took 11 years to complete. Soon, trains will be able to run to and from Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, connecting it with destinations across India.

The new line connects Sairang Railway Station, situated approximately 22 km from Aizawl, with Bairabi on the Assam-Mizoram border. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the project and dedicate it to the nation in the near future. What makes this development remarkable is that rail connectivity is reaching the capital of Mizoram 78 years after India’s independence. The route begins in Silchar, Assam and winds its way through Bairabi to Sairang. For Mizoram, this is the most significant infrastructure milestone since the inauguration of Lengpui Airport in 1998.

Acting` Northeast’
The central government is investing heavily in the comprehensive development of India’s northeastern states, with rail connectivity at the heart of this vision. So far, railway lines have successfully reached the capitals of four states, namely Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram. In the remaining northeastern states, except Sikkim, rail presence is limited to just one or two stations near their borders. The goal is ambitious but clear: extend railway lines to the capitals of Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim by 2030.

At the centre of this effort lies the Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the `Chicken’s Neck,’ which connects the northeast to the rest of India through West Bengal. Strategically, this narrow stretch of land is crucial, lying between Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. It has also been a sensitive region, having witnessed Chinese incursions in the past. Strengthening rail connectivity across the northeast, therefore, carries not just developmental benefits but also critical strategic and defence value.

For Mizoram, the stakes are particularly high. The state shares international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, while plans are already under discussion to extend its newly built railway line right up to the Myanmar border. This would boost trade and connectivity while reinforcing national security.

Currently, the route from Guwahati to Silchar terminates at Bairabi station on the Assam–Mizoram border. From there, a 52 km line has now been laid deeper into Mizoram, which serves as one of the most significant infrastructure milestones for the state in decades.

Everyday life in Mizoram
In Mizoram, everyday living comes with its own set of challenges. Almost everything has to be brought in from outside, and trucks remain the state’s primary means of transporting cargo. Alongside these, the markets brim with winter vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower, fresh bamboo shoots, betel leaves and other local produce.

Aizawl wakes up early. By 5 am, the town is already buzzing with life. Women make their way to markets such as Bara Bazaar even before dawn, their baskets filled with stalks of bamboo shoots, fresh greens, dried river fish, live crabs, betel leaves, areca nuts and handwoven textiles. The path to Bara Bazaar is steep and uneven, where walking down is easy, but climbing back up tests your breath and strength.

I paused to rest, only to be humbled by the sight of a vendor striding up the hill with a heavy bundle balanced on his shoulder. Locals often say that with the right training, one can even lift an elephant. Here, bundles are not just of goods. Children, too, are carried snugly in cloth slings on their mothers’ backs.

Prices in the markets reflect the costs of transport. Only items grown locally, such as cabbage and ginger, are cheaper, while everything else carries a steep markup. A truck journey from Silchar in Assam, the nearest hub, takes almost ten hours to cover just 172 kilometres. Reaching Guwahati is an even bigger ordeal, which takes an entire day on broken, winding mountain roads.

Lengpui Airport, only 32 kilometres from Aizawl, offers quicker travel, but high airfares keep most people grounded. It’s little wonder, then, that residents eagerly await the railway line, which promises affordability and speed.

Each morning, vehicles wait by the roadside to take passengers arriving from Guwahati onwards to Aizawl and into remote villages. Everything travels on these rugged carriers, from chickens to gas cylinders and chairs to bundles of goods. Materials are stacked alongside the passengers like a moving avalanche of life heading into the hills.

Drivers know these routes better than anyone. One tells me that Guwahati in Assam is the gateway to the rest of the country. A single passenger must pay around Rs 1700 for a ride in a Tata Sumo MUV to Guwahati, a journey of 500 kilometres. Departing at 7 pm, you reach only by early afternoon the next day, after braving steep hills, hairpin bends and endless ghats.

The railway promises to change all that. Once trains begin running, travellers will reach Guwahati in nearly half the time. With this, the Indian Railways will not just connect Mizoram to the rest of India. Still, they will open doors to cultural exchange, education, healthcare and opportunities the people here have long dreamed of.

Engineering excellence in the hills
In Mizoram, where roads snake through mountains, disappear into tunnels and leap across valleys on soaring bridges, the new railway line stands as a testament to the engineering brilliance of the Indian Railways. Compared with this feat, long-awaited projects like the Nilambur-Nanjangud line and the Angamaly-Erumeli-Sabarimala line in Kerala seem modest.

Every station on the Mizoram line has been designed with care. Platforms are placed strategically to guard against landslides, while flat surfaces have been painstakingly carved out of the rugged hills to make space for tracks. The electrification of the route has already begun, proving once again that with vision and persistence, even the steepest challenges can be conquered.

The state government, too, acknowledges the importance of sustainable transport. Railways, with their large passenger capacity and minimal environmental impact, are an ideal solution for Mizoram’s hilly terrain. Voices are already rising, demanding that the line should not stop at Sairang but push further into the state’s interiors.

Lower costs, greater benefits
The impact of freight services is expected to be immediate. “With the start of freight train operations, the cost of rice and fuel will come down. Lower transportation costs will reduce prices overall,” explained Neelanjan Deb, PRO of the Northeast Frontier Railway.

Currently, essentials are transported by road from Silchar in Assam. Though the distance to Aizawl is just 172 kilometres, narrow and broken mountain roads mean it takes around ten hours by lorry and eight hours by smaller vehicles. Once trains start running, the journey is expected to take only three and a half to four hours.

Key features of the Bairabi–Sairang line
Stations: Harthak, Kawuphai, Mulkang, Sairang
Tunnels: 48
Major bridges: 55
Minor bridges: 87
Railway overbridges: 5
Railway underpasses: 6
Total length of tunnels: 13 km
Longest tunnel: 2 km
Project cost: Rs 8701 crore

The project demanded much more than just the construction of railway tracks. Nearly 200 kilometres of approach roads were carved out, with additional routes built to link the new stations, namely Harthak, Kawuphai, Mulkang, and Sairang, to nearby villages.

Dreams turn into reality
For locals, the railway’s arrival is nothing short of a dream fulfilled. Gabriel, a soldier, and his wife, Mayeni, recall the announcement of the project in 2008. By 2014, the line had touched the Mizoram border, but neither imagined that a railway would one day weave its way across the state’s mountains and valleys.

Indeed, the line is a marvel of persistence. It crosses from one mountain to another through an endless sequence of bridges and tunnels. 48 tunnels in all, adding up to 13 kilometres, along with 55 major bridges and 87 minor ones.

The crown jewel of the project is Bridge No. 144, a spectacular curved structure that rises 114 meters above ground level, taller than the Qutub Minar by 42 meters. Trains from Sairang station enter the valley through this bridge, making it the second-highest railway bridge in India. The tunnel portals are another unique feature, adorned with motifs inspired by Mizo culture.

The longest tunnel stretches for two kilometres, burrowing deep through solid rock to carry the line forward. Together, these feats underscore the technical achievement as well as the imagination that have made the railway dream in Mizoram a reality.

Promise on the rails
Mizoram is a land waiting to be explored. Its rolling blue valleys, cascading waterfalls and tribal culture hold immense promise for tourism. But the state still struggles with the basics such as good hotels, roads and supporting infrastructure. For now, homestays remain the most common choice of accommodation. From afar, Aizawl looks like a matchbox town, with houses clinging tightly to steep hillsides and narrow lanes weaving through.

Women are the driving force of the local economy. They dominate the shops and workplaces, often working harder than men. Bamboo craft, bamboo-based food products and handwoven textiles are among the state’s signature offerings, while ginger cultivation thrives in the interior villages.

For many Mizos, the railway is a first-time experience. Those who have seen the outside world welcome it with open arms, while others prefer to reserve judgment until they try it themselves. When trial runs began in June, excitement filled the air. On the first day, locals rushed into the train coaches, reluctant to step out. Since then, during subsequent trials, trains have been halted a little away from platforms to avoid such scenes. Media crews from across the region have been allowed onboard, while crowds continue to gather in large numbers each time a train whistles past.

On the tracks of change
For students, patients travelling for medical treatment and tourists alike, the railway is a lifeline. The Food Corporation of India and Indian Oil Corporation are preparing to open depots in Aizawl, reducing dependence on trucks. Today, whenever roads are blocked, Aizawl is cut off completely. But not anymore. With trains rolling in, the city will no longer face such isolation.

Officials expect more visitors, boosting the earnings of small traders and operators of taxis and bike taxis. Plans are already in place for a special tourist train to run in collaboration with the state government.

For locals like Jothan Lorra, a retired government official, the dream goes further. He hopes to see a Rajdhani Express to Delhi begin soon. At present, travelling to Mumbai or Delhi means first going to Guwahati or Silchar. With air travel expensive, affordable train journeys will be a blessing. Jothan, like many others, is eagerly waiting for the day when trains from Aizawl run to Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

Freight services will also bring big relief. The construction sector, in particular, will benefit as materials and products can be transported more easily to and from Mizoram.

Silent city
Aizawl is fondly called the Silent City as vehicles rarely honk here, while traffic signals are few and far between. The days are warm, but evenings quickly turn cool. Locals converse in Mizo and English. Shops close by 6.30 pm, and on Sundays, the entire city rests. Mist and sudden showers often blur the hilltop views, while forests cover nearly 85 per cent of the region.

The city’s attractions are as charming as they are diverse, including the Solomon’s Temple, the Durtlang Hills, the Aizawl Peak Sky Walk, the Mizoram State Museum, the Zoological Park, and Tamdil Lake. Clean and orderly, Aizawl is home to fewer than 13 lakh people. The best time to visit is between November and March, when the weather is cool and pleasant. In October, temperatures can dip to 11 degrees Celsius. Lengpui Airport, located just 32 km away, directly connects the city with Guwahati, Kolkata, and Delhi.

With the railway opening up, travellers from Kerala who reach Silchar on the Thiruvananthapuram-Silchar train will be able to continue onwards to Sairang by rail. Tourists, however, require an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter Mizoram. For those arriving by air, a 15-day pass can be obtained at the airport for a prescribed fee. Applications are also accepted online via this website. 

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