Extension of Mizoram’s Bairabi-Sairang Railway Line to Myanmar Border Planned

Aizawl, April 8 (NationPress) The Railway Ministry is set to extend the Bairabi-Sairang railway line, currently under construction, all the way to the India-Myanmar border, as announced by Mizoram’s Rajya Sabha member K. Vanlalvena on Tuesday.

Upon completion of the 51.38 km Bairabi-Sairang broad gauge line project, Mizoram’s Aizawl will become the fourth capital city in the northeast region to be connected by a railway network within the next four to five months.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is laying this new broad gauge line that connects Bairabi, located near Assam’s Hailakandi district, to Sairang, close to Aizawl, at an investment exceeding Rs 8,215 crore.

Vanlalvena, who visited the site of Sairang railway station on Monday, stated that the Railway Ministry is exploring the possibility of extending the railway line to Zochachhuah, a village on the India-Myanmar border.

“Preliminary surveys are currently underway for the extension of the railway line to the Myanmar border. This development would greatly benefit Mizoram once operational. The government’s initiative to further extend the railway network beyond Sairang, traversing southern Mizoram to Zochachhuah near the Myanmar border, could significantly boost cross-border trade and regional integration,” the Rajya Sabha member told IANS.

Located in Lawngtlai district, Zochachhuah village borders Myanmar.

The MP expressed his contentment regarding the progress of the Bairabi–Sairang railway project, noting that out of the estimated Rs 8,215 crore budget, Rs 7,714 crore has already been utilized.

“I have consistently advocated for this railway project in Parliament. The Centre’s proposal to extend the railway line to the Myanmar border is advantageous for the entire northeastern region,” he emphasized.

Nonetheless, the tragic collapse of the steel girder bridge at Kurung—the tallest bridge along the under-construction railway route—on August 23 last year delayed the timeline by nearly a year, resulting in the loss of 23 railway workers' lives. NFR's General Manager, Construction,

In the meantime, Arun Kumar Chaudhary recently assessed the ongoing Bairabi-Sairang railway project. Accompanied by senior railway officials from NFR’s headquarters in Maligaon, Guwahati, Chaudhury reviewed the worksite of the new line project, including the construction of Kawnpui and Mualkhang stations, Sairang station yard, and other essential infrastructure.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma stated that the Bairabi-Sairang railway line project, which links Aizawl in Mizoram to the rest of the country, is nearing advanced completion.

This new line project is segmented into four sections—Bairabi-Hortoki, Hortoki-Kawnpui, Kawnpui-Mualkhang, and Mualkhang-Sairang.

The Bairabi-Hortoki section was inaugurated in July of the previous year.

The NFR is making every effort to fulfill its commitment to complete the project as soon as possible, the CPRO confirmed.