Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, is on track to join Guwahati, Itanagar, and Agartala as the fourth Northeastern capital to be rail-connected. The 51.38-kilometer Bairabi–Sairang railway line, an engineering marvel worth Rs 5,021 crore, has passed safety inspections and is scheduled to open after receiving final Railway Board approval.
This action represents a significant strategic and symbolic achievement: extending Indian Railways past the ‘Chicken’s Neck’, the narrow Siliguri Corridor that has historically isolated the region since Partition. Once fully operational, the line—featuring 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges, and a pier standing 104 meters high—will reduce travel time between Aizawl and Assam by three to four hours and enhance troop movement in a geopolitically sensitive area.
Sairang, located 20 km from Aizawl, will act as the railhead for the capital. The route traverses landslide-prone and earthquake-vulnerable Lushai Hills in Seismic Zone V, making it one of the most intricate railway constructions in India. Nevertheless, Indian Railways has continued to persevere, overcoming logistical, terrain, and labor obstacles to integrate Aizawl into the national rail network.
This advancement closely follows the connection of Srinagar to the Indian Railways system, reinforcing a national narrative of “connectivity to every corner.” From the world’s highest Chenab Bridge in Kashmir to the tallest railway pier in Mizoram, India is re-envisioning its rail infrastructure through tunnels, viaducts, and glass-roofed Vistadome coaches.
The inclusion of Aizawl is not a conclusion but rather a significant milestone in the ongoing journey. Rail connections to Imphal (Manipur), Kohima (Nagaland), Shillong (Meghalaya), and Gangtok (Sikkim) are already underway or in the planning stages. The ambitious goal is to connect every capital in the Northeast by 2030. Projects such as the Noney Bridge in Manipur, the Sivok-Rangpo tunnel corridor in Sikkim, and the Byrnihat extension to Shillong are forging paths through some of the nation’s most challenging terrains.
In 1962, the Saraighat Bridge in Guwahati opened the Northeast to the national network. In 2025, the responsibility will shift to Aizawl. By 2030, the Northeast—previously divided by geopolitical fault lines—could be fully integrated into the Indian rail system, capital by capital, tunnel by tunnel, bridge by bridge.
