HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 10: A landmark moment in the history of Mizoram’s infrastructure has been realized with the successful commissioning and Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) authorization of the newly constructed Broad Gauge (BG) line from Hortoki to Sairang. This milestone completes the entire 51.38 km Bairabi–Sairang New Line Railway Project, bringing direct rail connectivity to the state capital, Aizawl, for the first time. The final 33.864 km stretch from Hortoki to Sairang was thoroughly inspected by Shri Sumeet Singhal, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Northeast Frontier Circle, between June 6-10.
Earlier, the Bairabi to Hortoki section had already been commissioned. With the completion of the final leg, Mizoram is now fully integrated into the national railway network. This transformative achievement is expected to significantly enhance passenger and freight movement, stimulate socio-economic growth, and fulfill a long-standing aspiration of the people of Mizoram to see trains arriving in the heart of their capital.
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The CRS inspection was conducted via motor trolley/on foot, followed by a speed trial using an inspection special hauled by a diesel locomotive. The Hortoki–Sairang section lies in a hilly terrain and includes 32 tunnels and 35 major bridges. Despite the tough terrain, commendable work has been carried out by the Northeast Frontier Railway. Following the inspection, the CRS has authorized the opening of the BG line from Hortoki to Sairang for public carriage of goods and passengers at a maximum permissible speed of 90 kmph on the main line.
It is also to be mentioned that the 51.38 Km long Bairabi – Sairang New Line Railway Project is an engineering marvel of the Indian Railways. The project consists 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges and 87 minor bridges. The total length of tunnels in this project is 12853 meters. The height of bridge no. 196 is 104 meter which is 42 meter taller than the Qutub Minar. The project also includes 5 Road over Bridges & 6 Road under Bridges. This new line project is divided into four sections, i.e. Bairabi – Hortoki, Hortoki – Kawnpui, Kawnpui – Mualkhang and Mualkhang – Sairang.
This authorization marks a major milestone towards the integration of Mizoram’s capital into the national railway grid and demonstrates Indian Railways’ commitment to developing infrastructure in remote and strategically important regions.
