A railway project first conceived 26 years ago has finally become a reality, with the newly completed 51.38 km Bairabi–Sairang line bringing Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl, onto India’s railway map for the first time.

This engineering feat spans some of the country’s most challenging terrain, featuring 48 tunnels that total nearly 13 km and over 40 bridges. Among them, Bridge No. 196 stands 104 metres high—42 metres taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar. Constructed through dense forests, steep gradients, and landslide-prone regions, the project showcases remarkable engineering and perseverance.

Chief Engineer Vinod Kumar described the endeavour as one of the toughest the team had faced, citing constant landslides and extreme weather. Many labourers lived on-site for years to ensure progress despite months of rainfall and harsh conditions.

The new line is set to reduce travel time between Guwahati and Aizawl from 18 hours by road to under 12 hours by rail, with ticket fares estimated around Rs 450. This development is expected to transform daily life for residents, students, traders, and tourists.

KK Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer of Northeast Frontier Railway, emphasised the transformative nature of the project, calling it a landmark in connectivity for the Northeast.

As it approaches formal inauguration, the Bairabi–Sairang railway line stands as a testament to India’s growing focus on infrastructure development in the Northeast, significantly improving accessibility to one of the country's most remote states.