An engineering marvel: Newly built Bairabi-Sairang railway line set to become Mizoram's gateway to growth

AIZAWL: When a two-coach special train carrying railway officials arrived at the newly built platform near Sairang, 85-year-old Satwna stood motionless with his eyes fixed on the gleaming train that had just rolled in. His wrinkled hands trembled in excitement as he touched the metallic surface of the vistadome coach. For the first time in his life, the octogenarian from nearby Darlawng village who spent his entire lifetime in the hills of Mizoram had a glimpse of a train. I had heard about trains, but never thought that I would be able to see one rolling on my land. My dream came true, he said in the local Lushai language softly. Satwna has never been to any place outside Mizoram. He hoped people of his area could now easily move out of the hill state for jobs, education and advanced healthcare. With green hills sweeping into the misty air, buildings dotting the slopes and miles of bamboo and banana forests, Mizoram is considered one of the most beautiful yet remote states in India. But for the people of the hilly land, the dream of railway connectivity remained elusive for decades. The state had just 5 km of metre-gauge line from the Assam border to Bairabi in Kolasib district until the Bairabi-Sairang project was sanctioned in 2008-09. The Indian Railways has recently completed the 51.38 km new line connecting Bairabi with Sairang, about 17 km from capital city Aizawl and 15 km from Lengpui airport, linking Mizoram to the countrys rail network for the first time. Sairang railway station The project suffered delays due to numerous challenges, including landslide-prone difficult terrain, inclement weather, and lack of construction materials and workforce. Despite challenges, the project was fast-tracked with an eco-sensitive approach by constructing more tunnels and elevated viaducts to minimise on-site deforestation and destruction of habitats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had laid the foundation stone in 2014, is scheduled to inaugurate the newly built railway line on Saturday. Once the trains are flagged off, Mizoram will be the fourth northeastern state to have its capital linked to the national railway grid. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said it is a historic moment for Mizoram as the state gets connected to the railway network. The Prime Minister will also flag off three trains, including a Rajdhani Express to Delhi, tri-weekly to Kolkata and a daily Mizoram Express to Guwahati, he said. Engineering marvel Built at a cost of around Rs 8,000 crore, the railway line is not just historic, but also an engineering marvel after the Chenab rail section in the Kashmir valley and Pamban bridge in Tamil Nadu. The line snakes through 45 tunnels covering a distance of nearly 12.85 km, besides 55 major bridges, 87 minor bridges, five road overbridges and six road underbridges, a feat achieved in one of the most challenging terrains in the Northeast. One of the most iconic structures is the bridge No. 196, towering at 114 metres, taller than Delhis iconic Qutub Minar by 42 metres. Rising from the deep green valleys near Sairang station, it is now a signature symbol of the project. The longest tunnel (No. 40) stretches for more than 1.37 km. For railway engineers, the entire period of construction was a battle with nature. Even though the railways built over 200 km of road to carry construction materials to different locations for the 51.38 km new railway line, the construction team faced immense difficulties in getting materials transported. The tragic bridge collapse that killed 26 workers in 2023 also failed to dampen the spirit. One of the 45 tunnels along the railway line Principal chief engineer Vinod Kumar said the project was a challenging task in every aspect. The men and materials were sourced from various states. While crushed stones were brought from Assam, West Bengal and Jharkhand, sand was procured from Assam. The reinforcement rods were brought from Kolkata and the steel girders from Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Maharashtra. Labourers were from West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, he said. Carrying girders to the construction site was such a huge logistical challenge that, Kumar said, they had to carry them up to Bairabi using the rail network and then to different sites by making special transportation arrangements. Sometimes it took more than a month to complete a day's work due to the logistic issues, he said. Gateway to growth The Bairabi-Sairang railway line is expected to reshape the states economy by lowering transport costs, creating jobs and boosting tourism. The cost of commodities is estimated to fall by at least 20 per cent, making life in the state more affordable to the more than 12 lakh people of Mizoram. As per estimates, Mizorams Gross State Domestic Product will grow at an annual rate of Rs 500 crore to Rs 700 crore due to the railway connectivity. A village head C Zonunsanga said construction materials, vegetables, rice, and even petrol become costlier every time the highway gets blocked due to landslides. The railway connectivity is a major gift to the people of the region after Independence. We hope it will help our state and its citizens prosper, he said. Farmers also expect opportunities. Mizoram grows orange, guava and pineapple in abundance along with ginger and turmeric, but struggles to sell the produce outside the state. Currently, post-harvest losses due to poor transport in the Northeast average around 25 to 30 per cent. We often sell at throwaway prices because transport is costly and roads are unreliable. The income will definitely increase as the railway will extend direct access to other city markets, said Lalranthara Rama, a local. A view of the city of Aizawl Apart from the logistics, the new railway line is set to give a much needed boost to the states tourism sector. The state government estimates that tourist arrivals would increase by 50 per cent within the next five years, an influx that would drive up sales in hotels, homestays, handicraft markets and transport services. The new line will bring in more visitors as travel to Aizawl has always been expensive and tiring. With trains, tourists can reach faster through Assam. It will help local youths get jobs, said Amuana Tlau, a car driver. While many welcomed the economic opportunities the new rail link promises, sections of the population expressed fears about cultural dilution and demographic changes. Some also flagged concerns over the social impact due to the increased migration. We have been waiting for better connectivity for decades. It will make goods cheaper, travel easier and transcend business. Simultaneously, we are worried about the influx of outsiders. We want development without affecting our Mizo identity, said VT Muani, a waiter. Officials, however, stressed that improved connectivity will help create jobs and boost the states economy. General manager of North East Frontier Railway Chetan Shrivastava said the rain line will ease passenger movement, cut freight costs and lessen the states reliance on fragile road links. It has been planned to flag off at least three trains on the day of inauguration. The number of trains will increase depending on the volume of traffic. There are plans to expand the line further up to the Myanmar border for which a survey is underway, Shrivastava added.