The Bairabi–Sairang railway line connects Aizawl to India’s national railway network, built using materials and labor from across the country despite terrain and transport challenges. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The Bairabi–Sairang railway line connects Aizawl to India’s national railway network, built using materials and labor from across the country despite terrain and transport challenges
Source, photo: infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Bairabi–Sairang railway line built with pan-India resources

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) completed the 52-km Bairabi–Sairang railway line at an estimated cost of ₹8,000 crore (approximately $958 million). This massive infrastructure effort involved sourcing construction materials from multiple states due to Mizoram’s limited local supply.

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Crushed stones were transported from Assam, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, while sand arrived from Silchar and Guwahati. Reinforcement rods came from Kolkata, but due to their length, teams had to bend and straighten them near the site.

Large steel girders required for the bridges came from Raipur, Wardha, Ahmednagar, and Kolkata. However, their transport proved extremely challenging. The roads from Guwahati to Aizawl were often closed due to landslides or poor conditions, so NFR used rail to bring materials to Bairabi and arranged custom logistics from there. In several cases, cranes had to be dismantled and reassembled at the bridge sites, slowing down operations significantly.

Bairabi–Sairang railway line strengthens Mizoram’s rail link

Laborers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, and West Bengal formed the backbone of the construction workforce. Their collective effort overcame rugged terrain, unpredictable weather, and limited transport access to complete one of the region’s most ambitious railway projects.

The railway line includes 48 tunnels totaling nearly 13 kilometers, along with 55 major and 87 minor bridges, nine underpasses, and five overpasses. Notably, Bridge No. 196 rises 104 meters above ground—42 meters taller than Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar.

The project progressed in four phases from July 2024 to June 2025 and now positions Mizoram as the fourth northeastern state whose capital is linked to the national rail grid. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the line soon.

Source, photo: infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com

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