Aizawl: Mizoram will enter a new era of connectivity on Saturday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Bairabi-Sairang rail line, giving the state its first-ever direct train to the national capital.
The 51-kilometer stretch, called an engineering landmark by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, involved 45 tunnels and 55 major bridges, including one taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar. “Despite the challenges of Mizoram’s Himalayan terrain, the project shows India’s engineering prowess,” Vaishnaw said Friday while inspecting Sairang station.
With the inauguration, Mizoram will be linked to three major destinations:
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A weekly Rajdhani Express from Sairang to New Delhi.
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A tri-weekly Mizoram Express to Kolkata.
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A daily Aizawl Intercity Express to Guwahati.
Goods trains will begin operations Sept. 14, carrying cement, steel, and household essentials into the state and transporting Mizoram’s organic produce, flowers, and exotic fruits to national markets. The model mirrors successful apple shipments from Kashmir to Delhi.
Vaishnaw said the new line will lower commodity prices, open trade channels, and attract tourists to the Northeast. He also noted that the railway budget for the region has risen fivefold, from about ₹2,000 crore annually before 2014 to nearly ₹10,000 crore today.
“This is more than a railway line — it’s a lifeline for Mizoram’s economy,” Vaishnaw said, congratulating the project teams and Northeast Frontier Railway.
The milestone marks Mizoram’s first direct link to New Delhi by rail, strengthening national integration and offering new growth opportunities.
