New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the 51.38-km Bairabi–Sairang railway line in Mizoram, officially bringing Aizawl onto India’s railway map after 172 years of railways in the country. Calling it a “historic milestone,” Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju praised the achievement while recalling unfulfilled promises of past governments.
PM Modi also flagged off three trains — the Sairang–Anand Vihar Rajdhani Express (weekly), the Kolkata–Sairang–Kolkata Express (tri-weekly), and the Guwahati–Sairang–Guwahati Express (daily).
Rijiju shared a 1990 video of then Railways Minister George Fernandes discussing railway expansion into Manipur, noting that despite such promises, Congress governments “didn’t do anything.” He credited the Modi government for transforming Northeast railway connectivity.
The Bairabi–Sairang broad gauge project, sanctioned in 2008–09, was completed at a cost of ₹8,213.72 crore under the Northeast Frontier Railway. It is central to the Act East Policy, linking Aizawl with Silchar in Assam and further connecting Mizoram to the rest of India. Modi had laid the foundation stone in 2014, with construction starting in 2015.
In his virtual address, PM Modi lauded Mizoram’s contributions to the freedom struggle and nation-building. “Sacrifice, service, courage, and compassion are at the heart of Mizo society,” he said. He called the inauguration a proud day for the state and the nation.
The launch marks a major step in boosting infrastructure and economic integration for Mizoram, long considered one of India’s most isolated regions. Leaders hailed it as a symbol of development and connectivity for the Northeast.