Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, September 13, 2025, inaugurated Mizoram’s first railway line and flagged off the State’s maiden Rajdhani Express service connecting Aizawl with Delhi.
The Bairabi–Sairang railway project, built at a cost of ₹8,070 crore, is regarded as one of the most challenging undertakings in the history of Indian Railways. Sanctioned in 2008–09 and with construction beginning in 2015, the 51.4-km line is a major infrastructure milestone for the northeastern State.
The route passes through difficult terrain and includes 45 tunnels, 55 major bridges, and 87 minor bridges. Among its highlights is Bridge No. 144 near Sairang, which stands 114 metres tall—higher than Delhi’s Qutub Minar—making it the tallest pier railway bridge in the country. The network also features five road overbridges and six underpasses, and connects four new stations — Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang — in addition to Bairabi.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the new line will provide safe and affordable connectivity, boost the supply chain for essential goods, and improve logistics across Mizoram. Officials noted that the project will not only shorten travel time but also create opportunities for tourism, employment, and trade, addressing a long-pending demand of the local population.
Alongside the railway inauguration, Modi also flagged off three new express train services: the Sairang–Delhi (Anand Vihar Terminal) Rajdhani Express, the Sairang–Guwahati Express, and the Sairang–Kolkata Express.
The Prime Minister further laid foundation stones for a series of development projects across multiple sectors, including transport, energy, sports, and education. Among them is the 45-km Aizawl Bypass Road, worth over ₹500 crore under the PM-DevINE scheme, designed to ease traffic congestion in the State capital and improve access to Lunglei, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lengpui Airport, and Sairang railway station.
Other projects include the Thenzawl–Sialsuk Road under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) to aid farmers and horticulturists, and the Khankawn–Rongura Road in Serchhip district, which will support agricultural trade and a planned ginger processing facility.
Modi also laid the foundation for the Chhimtuipui bridge on the Lawngtlai–Siaha Road, a Khelo India Multipurpose Indoor Hall, and an LPG bottling plant at Mualkhang. Additionally, he inaugurated a residential school at Kawrthah under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) and an Eklavya Model Residential School at Tlangnuam.
With these initiatives, the government aims to significantly enhance connectivity, economic activity, and social infrastructure in Mizoram, strengthening its integration with the rest of the country.
