The Northeast has long been partially disconnected from the mainland and commercial areas in India – be it due to lack of highways, urban infrastructure, or rail connectivity. However, that is about to change soon! Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram and one of the most important cities in the Northeast, will now be connected to the main Indian railway network after the completion of the Bairabi-Sarang Railway Line. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely inaugurate this railway line on September 13, 2025. Here’s what you need to know about this historic milestone for the Northeast.
Bairabi-Sarang Railway Line: Project Details, Cost, Inauguration, And More Details
Brief Overview Of The Bairabi-Sarang Railway Line
The Bairabi-Sarang railway line will connect Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, to India’s national railway network for the first time in history. This development means that long-distance trains from various parts of the country will now be able to reach Aizawl. Additionally, the project was completed at an estimated cost of INR 8,000 crore.
This railway line will span for 51.38 kilometers (km) and will have 48 tunnels scattered along the entire length of the railway line. These tunnels alone will have a total length of 12 km! This ambitious project will also have five road overbridges and six underpasses in order to smoothly integrate road and rail connectivity.
52 Km Bairabi-Sairang Rail line in Mizoram, slated completion by 2022, is inspected by CRB Shri V K Yadav.
Project has 32(12.6 Km) tunnels, 142 bridges(including 102 m high pier bridge) & 10 ROB/RUBs. It will provide connectivity to Mizoram and boost the economy of this region. pic.twitter.com/xJmTxz7bmc
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) February 23, 2020
Additionally, the line will also have 142 bridges in total, with the Bridge No.196 being the second-highest pier bridge in Indian Railways with a height of 104 meters! To put it in perspective, this bridge will be taller than the Qutub Minar that has a height of 74 meters.
One major challenge for engineers was navigating the difficult terrain while constructing the 51.38-km-long railway line. Despite the obstacles presented by the Northeast’s landscape, engineers successfully planned, designed, and executed a railway line that will undoubtedly be remembered in history books!
Trial Runs, Reduced Travel Time, And Connectivity To Aizawl
The Northeast Frontier Railway conducted a successful trial run in May 2025 which was then followed by a rigorous safety inspection in June 2025. The Commissioner of Railway Safety has cleared the railway line for passenger operations, with permissions for trains to operate on a maximum speed of 90 km/hour.
Once the line is operational, it will drastically reduce the travel time between Guwahati and Aizawl, two very crucial commercial centers in the Northeast. A road journey that took 14 to 18 hours will now only take about 12 hours by train between the two cities.
Also, travelers traveling from Aizawl to Silchar would take about seven hours on road – but now the same journey will take about 3 hours by train!
What’s also interesting is that Aizawl will finally get connected to the Indian rail network, thanks to the Sairang Railway Station. Located just 12 km from Aizawl, it will serve as the gateway for the capital city of Mizoram.
The railway station, at least as of now, will have two platforms, three tracks, and many modern facilities for the comfort and convenience of travelers. The railway line will also see a few other railway stations like Hortoki, Mualkhang, and Kawnpui, improving the connectivity of these towns significantly.
What The Completion Of The Bairabi-Sarang Railway Line Means For The People Of The Northeast
The Bairabi-Sarang railway line is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects Mizoram has ever seen! It is arguably the second such infrastructure project in terms of its scale, only behind the construction of the Aizawl Airport in 1998. With the completion and successful working of this railway line, many cities and towns in Mizoram and neighboring areas will have access to a fast, convenient, and efficient mode of public transportation.
Rail connectivity has always been limited in the Northeast, mainly due to its challenging terrain and lack of initiative to construct an efficient public transportation infrastructure here.
However, we’d like to believe that this is about to change with the opening of the Bairabi-Sarang railway line. This railway line will not only connect different cities and towns of the Northeast to the more bustling commercial cities in India’s central and western regions, but also foster economic growth for the Northeast.
Estimates suggest that it will boost Mizoram’s economy by 2 to 3% annually, adding about INR 500 to 700 crore to the state GDP (Gross Domestic Product). It will also directly benefit local farmers who will be able to transport their produce such as bamboo, ginger, chillies, pineapples, and more to the markets more quickly. A public transport system like this will also reduce transport costs for farmers, ultimately making the journey more economical than ever.
The Bairabi-Sarang railway line will ultimately foster tourism, trade, education, and healthcare while boosting employment opportunities.
Summing Up
The Bairabi-Sarang railway line is about to be a milestone project in the state of Mizoram as well as the Northeast. With 51.38 km of rail tracks built strategically over the rugged terrain of the Northeast, the project will drastically cut travel times between Aizawl and other major cities and towns. It will also bolster trade, tourism, and employment opportunities and connect the capital of Mizoram to the Indian rail network for the first time in history. With history being made in each of its step, how excited are you for the launch of this railway line?
