Mizoram railway: 230-km Sairang-Myanmar border line to have 20 stations

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has reviewed plans for a railway line of about 230 km from Sairang, near Aizawl, to Hmawngbuchhuah in Lawngtlai district on the Myanmar border, with 20 stations proposed along the route.

Railway officials presented the plan at a meeting in the chief minister's office in Aizawl on Wednesday, October 28. The line measures 230.110 km and is designed for a maximum speed of 130 kmph, they said.

What was discussed

The meeting focused on the proposed alignment and how the line would operate, including how to make sure the network serves local communities.

Lalduhoma asked the railway officials to use the correct local names for stations and places along the route, stressing that the project should reflect local identities. He said the state government had been offering suggestions so that the line brings maximum benefit to the people of Mizoram.

The chief minister also thanked Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for giving priority to railway development in the state.

Who attended

Zoram People's Movement MLA Clement Lalhmingthanga, General Administration Department Principal Secretary Sudir Kumar, Commissioner and Secretary to the Chief Minister Vanlaldina Fanai and Aizawl Deputy Commissioner Lalhriatpuia attended the meeting.

Why it matters

Sairang is the terminus of Mizoram's rail link with the rest of the country. Extending the line south to the international border in Lawngtlai would carry the railway the length of the state and bring rail connectivity to districts that rely on hill roads today.

A line ending at the Myanmar border also links to the wider plans for connectivity between the North East and South-East Asia, of which Mizoram is a key part.

What's next

No timeline or cost estimate for the line was announced at the meeting. The review covered the proposed alignment and operational planning, and further discussions between the state and the railways are expected as the project moves forward.