Guwahati, June 7 (IANS) The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has taken a final attempt to link Mizoram's capital Aizawl, which would soon be the fourth capital city in the northeast region to be connected by a railway network.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma on Saturday said that a major milestone in northeast India’s railway connectivity mission has been reached with the commencement of the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) inspection of the Hortoki–Sairang section of the Bairabi–Sairang new line railway project.

He said that Sumeet Singhal, CRS of the Northeast Frontier Circle, is conducting the inspection from June 6 to 10, starting from Sairang station, near Aizawl. The formal inauguration of the new line is likely to take place after June 17, following the successful completion of the CRS inspection and requisite safety clearances, the CPRO said. This 33.864 km Hortoki–Sairang section forms part of the 51.38 km Bairabi (near Assam’s Hailakandi district)–Sairang new line, being executed by the NFR as a strategic state capital connectivity project.

With the successful completion of the inspection of this section, Mizoram would soon become the fourth NE state, after Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, whose capital city would be linked to the country’s railway network, the CPRO said. The Bairabi–Sairang project has been divided into four sections -- Bairabi–Hortoki (16.72 km, commissioned in July 2024), Hortoki–Kawnpui (9.71 km), Kawnpui–Mualkhang (12.11 km) and Mualkhang–Sairang (12.84 km).

Sharma said that the engineering scale of the project is significant. The project includes 48 tunnels with a total length of 12,853 metres, 55 major bridges, 87 minor bridges, five Road Over Bridges (ROBs), and six Road Under Bridges (RUBs). Among the standout structures is bridge number 196 (a rail pier bridge), which stands at a height of 104 metres, 42 metres taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar, showcasing the engineering excellence applied to conquer Mizoram’s challenging mountainous terrain.

A successful trial run on this route was already conducted on May 1 this year in the presence of the General Manager (Construction) of NFR, marking a historic moment for Aizawl’s rail connectivity journey. The project has achieved 94.52 per cent physical progress as of June 2025, reflecting the steady advancement toward operational readiness.

The official said that once operational, the Bairabi-Sairang railway line is expected to be a game-changer for Mizoram. The improved connectivity would enhance access to essential supplies, promote long-distance travel (both passenger and freight) and significantly reduce transportation costs.

The CPRO said that the line is also projected to boost local tourism, stimulate small-scale industries and drive socio-economic development across the region. NFR remains dedicated to the early commissioning of this transformative project for the people of Mizoram and the broader northeast region, Sharma said.

--IANS

sc/uk