• The Prime Minister recently inaugurated Mizoram’s first-ever railway line, the Bairabi–Sairang broad-gauge project, marking a historic milestone in the state’s connectivity.
• The 51.38 km rail line extends from Bairabi on the Assam–Mizoram border to Sairang, just 20 km from Aizawl, directly linking the state capital to India’s national railway network for the first time.
• With this new connection, Aizawl joins Guwahati, Agartala, and Itanagar as the fourth northeastern state capital connected by rail.
• The ambitious project, built at a cost of over Rs 8,070 crore, navigates some of the region’s most challenging hilly terrain, featuring 48 tunnels with a total length of 12,853 meters, 142 bridges—including 55 major and 87 minor—and multiple road overbridges and underbridges.
• A highlight of the project is Bridge No. 196, standing 104 meters tall, surpassing Delhi’s Qutub Minar and becoming the highest bridge in Mizoram and the second-highest pier bridge in Indian Railways.
• Passenger trains on the line can operate at speeds of up to 100 kmph, significantly boosting connectivity and economic prospects in the northeastern region.