New Delhi, July 16: The Bairabi-Sairang railway line has finally brought Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl, on the country’s railway network, and it will soon be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The line will, however, have to wait for a few more months for Vande Bharat trains.
According to officials, since the Bairabi-Sairang broad gauge line is not electrified yet, only diesel-propelled engines can be run here.
“Vande Bharat is an electric trainset and can be plied only on those routes which are fully electrified. Other express or mail trains can have separate diesel or electric locomotives as per the route requirement,” an NFR official said.
He added, “The line can be inaugurated with either Rajdhani Express or other passenger trains with diesel locomotives. The state government is trying hard to persuade the Railway Ministry to inaugurate the route with the Rajdhani Express.”
An electrified route is available up to Badarpur in Assam, but work is on at a rapid pace from Badarpur to Sairang with a target to complete all electrification work by October or November.
Officials claim that the new railway line that spans 51.38 km is not only an engineering marvel, but also offers a view of beautiful scenery.
The NFR is planning to introduce Vistadome coaches on this line. These coaches are glass-roofed compartments meant to give a full view of the beautiful countryside.
“Travellers will, for the first time, be able to serenely slide through the Reiek Hills, have a glimpse of the Vantawng Falls and chug through the haunted forests close to the Tam Dil Lake all in the comfort of their plush train seat,” the NFR said in a press note.
It added, “The terminal point of this new finished railway track, Sairang is only 20 km away from Aizawl and situated peacefully at the banks of the Serchhip River. A once sleepy, back water town only accessible by narrow and winding hill roads, Sairang is all set to relegate to history as the gateway to the fast emerging tourism circuit in Mizoram.”
According to the Railways, the Bairabi-Sairang line does not just decrease the time of travel, but puts Mizoram back on the tourist map of India.
The state is now open to travelers, backpackers, filmmakers, and eco-tourism entrepreneurs as the obscurity surrounding the state because of impenetrable hills and cloud banks is no longer evident.
Officials said that the line is already set to be extended to the Myanmar border, some 232 km away from Aizawl.
“Such a future expansion would not only increase the level of regional trade, but it would also boost the security of a country along a sensitive border. It is an immense project that benefits the cross-border connectivity of the Indian country in the Indo-Pacific region,” the release said.(PTI)
