Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Mizoram’s first railway line, the Bairabi-Sairang, connecting the northeastern state to the rest of India. During the ceremony, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw praised the project as an engineering feat, considering the challenging Himalayan terrain.

Vaishnaw highlighted that the “Act East Policy,” initiated by PM Modi as an enhancement of the earlier Look-East Policy, has significantly boosted railway funding in the northeast—from ₹2,000 crore before 2014 to ₹10,000 crore, with current railway projects worth ₹77,000 crore underway. He explained the technical challenges faced during construction, including building multiple tunnels and bridges, one of which surpasses the height of the Qutub Minar. The line includes 45 tunnels spanning 51 km and 45 bridges, requiring innovative techniques to stabilize the difficult terrain.

The Bairabi-Sairang line, costing over ₹8,070 crore, provides Aizawl with its first direct rail connection to India’s railway network. This will offer residents safer, faster, and more affordable travel while ensuring timely supply of essential commodities such as food grains and fertilizers, improving logistical efficiency in the region.

On the occasion, PM Modi also flagged off the Sairang-Delhi (Anand Vihar) Rajdhani Express, Sairang-Guwahati Express, and Sairang-Kolkata Express. Additionally, he laid the foundation stone for multiple road projects, including the Aizawl Bypass Road, Thenzawl-Sialsuk Road, and Khankawn-Rongura Road.