Rail revolution: 78 years after Independence, Mizoram to get its first railway link

AIZAWL: After 38 years of statehood, Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram, has secured a railway connection, making it the fourth state capital in the Northeast to be linked by rail. The project, considered one of the toughest in Indian Railways' history, was successfully completed by North East Frontier Railway (NEFR) and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 13.Stretching across 51.38 kilometres, the line connects Bairabi-Mizoram's railhead on the Assam border-with Sairang, a town situated just 20 kilometres from Aizawl. Once operational, the new line will reduce travel time between Aizawl and Silchar (Assam border) from nearly seven hours by road to just three hours by train.Executed under some of the toughest geographical conditions in the Northeast, the project stands as a testament to modern engineering excellence by the engineers of NEFR. Its alignment traverses the hilly terrain of Kolasib and Aizawl districts, passing through dense forests, steep slopes, deep gorges, and numerous rivers. This achievement will significantly enhance passenger and freight movement, boost socio-economic growth, and fulfil a long-standing aspiration of the people of Mizoram, sources confirmed.Toughest railway project in the countryVinod Kumar, principal chief engineer of NEFR, shared that Bairabi-Sairang is divided into three parts: the first one is the tunnel, the second is the bridges, and the third is the cutting of hill edges. Moreover, they had only five months of workable condition in the year from November to March because the site experienced heavy rainfall for the other seven months. "Despite these challenges, we completed the project in 11 years," he claimed. He said materials for the project were not available locally, such as sand, jalli stones, and steel, which were imported from Assam, West Bengal, and Jharkhand. The major challenge was labourers; most of them stayed at the site during storms and winters.