Aizawl/Imphal/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the first railway line in Mizoram in a big infra push for the northeastern state.

Modi has inaugurated the Bairabi-Sairang railway line worth Rs. 8,070 crore in Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram.

The railway line will connect the northeastern state to the rest of the country.

He also laid foundation stones/inaugurated multiple other development projects in Aizawl, with a combined value of over ₹9,000 crore.

Among these additional works are  Aizawl Bypass Road (₹500 crore), a Khelo India multipurpose indoor hall and an LPG bottling plant at Mualkhang.

"For the first time, Sairang in Mizoram will be directly connected with Delhi by the Rajdhani Express. This is not just a railway, it is a lifeline of transformation. It will revolutionise the lives and livelihoods of the people of Mizoram.

"Farmers and businesses of Mizoram will be able to reach more markets across the nation. People will also have greater access to opportunities in education and health care. This development will generate employment opportunities across many sectors," said Prime Minister Modi addressing a gathering.

The Prime Minister addressed the gathering virtually from the Mizoram airport as he couldn't travel to Aizawl due to bad weather.

Key points about Mizoram’s first railway line

• Starting point: Bairabi, a small town on the Mizoram–Assam border.
• End point: Sairang, around 20 km from Aizawl (capital of Mizoram).
• Total length: ~ 51.4 km.
• Cost: About ₹8,000 crore.
• Features:

1. 48 tunnels (12.8 km total length).
2. 55 major bridges, 87 minor bridges.
3. Tallest bridge pier: 104 m (higher than Delhi’s Qutub Minar).

• Stations: Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang-Sihhmui.
• Significance: First time ever that Mizoram’s capital joins India’s rail map; expected to reduce travel time, improve freight movement, and integrate the state more closely with the rest of India.

Prior to this line, Mizoram had no operational railway inside the state beyond a short Bairabi railhead (connected to Assam).

Modi's inaugural visit to Manipur since 2023 unrest

Modi will on Saturday visit Manipur for the first time since violence broke out in the northeastern state.

Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel on Friday said the Prime Minister will arrive in the Churachandpur district from Aizawl in Mizoram at 12:30 pm.

The Prime Minister will interact with people who were displaced due to the violent ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities and then head to the state capital Imphal.

Modi will inaugurate projects worth Rs. 1,200 crore in Imphal and address a public function.

Reacting to the Prime Minister's scheduled visit, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "Manipur is having issues for a long time. It's fine that he (Narendra Modi) is visiting the state. But now 'vote chori' is the main issue in the country. 

"The elections in Haryana and Maharashtra were stolen. We have given proof of 'vote chori' in Karnataka as well. Everywhere people are saying 'vote chor'."

The unrest in the state, which is now under President's rule, is mainly between the Meitei community (majority in the Imphal Valley) and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities (in the hill regions).