AIZAWL: 78 years after India’s Independence and 38 years since gaining statehood, Mizoram erupted in joy today as its capital Aizawl, got its first railway connection, joining the vast Indian Railways network. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in the state capital today, the train makes Mizoram the fourth Northeastern state to be linked by rail, demonstrating the immense work left to be done in making India a developed country by 2047.
The project, considered one of the toughest railway projects in Indian Railways’ history, was successfully completed by North East Frontier Railway (NEFR). 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.
Vinod 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.
The engineering team had only five months of workable condition every 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,” Vinod stated.
From Aizawl to Delhi
The first Rajdhani Express train between Aizawl and Delhi, will now start its weekly services from September 19. According to the Northeast Frontier Railway, the Rajdhani Express will now cover the 2,510 kms in 43 hours and 25 minutes, with an average speed of 57.81 km per hour. The inaugural run on September 13 will follow a different schedule, but the stops, number of coaches, and other details will remain the same as the regular service.
The 51.38-km-long Bairabi-Sairang broad gauge railway line project is part of the Centre’s Act East policy, and will link Aizawl with Assam’s Silchar town and then the rest of the country, bringing Mizoram within the fold of India’s railway network more than 172 years after the British introduced railways to India.
The project sanctioned in 2008-2009 was executed at the cost of Rs. 8,213.72 crore. PM Modi had laid the foundation stone for the project in 2014, and its construction was completed within 10 years, starting from 2015.
Route And Schedule Of The Train
On its inaugural run, the 20-coach train left Sairang station, 22 km from Aizawl today at 10:00 am and will arrive at Delhi’s Anand Vihar station at 7:30 am on Monday.
The regular services of the train number 20597 will start from September 19, departing Sairang every Saturday at 4:30 pm, and reaching Anand Vihar at 10:50 am on Monday. The return journey, as train number 20598, will leave Anand Vihar at 7:50 pm on Monday and arrive at Sairang at 3:15 pm on Tuesday.
The train will stop at 21 stations between Sairang and Anand Vihar, including major ones like Guwahati, New Cooch Behar, New Jalpaiguri, Malda Town, Bhagalpur, Patna, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, and Kanpur.
From Bairabi to Guwahati, a diesel engine will be used since the Bairabi-Sairang line is not yet electrified. At Guwahati, the diesel engine will be replaced with an electric one for the rest of the journey to Anand Vihar.
With four new railway stations – Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang – the project passes through steep hills, deep gorges, and dense forests, with 48 tunnels en route, and over 150 bridges.
Due to the unavailability of construction materials such as sand, stones, chips, and others in Mizoram, the Railways had to source them from nearby states Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, and others through roadways and railways.
Now that the rail connectivity has been established, residents from Kolasib and Aizawl districts in Mizoram will stand to reap the benefits of easier, efficient, and affordable travel facilities. Until now, train travel in Mizoram has been limited to the Silchar-Bairabi route in Assam. Additionally, traveling by road from Silchar to Aizawl, a distance of about 150 km, could cost up to 1,000 rupees. Now, the same journey by train will cost less than Rs 80, which will enable the residents to avail better healthcare, education, and business services in hubs such as Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Silchar.
Another highlight of this route is India’s second-highest railway bridge, standing at 114 meters – 42 meters taller than the Qutub Minar.
