Aizawl, Jan 9: More than 22,000 Inner Line Permits (ILPs) have been issued to visitors at Mizoram’s Sairang railway station since the opening of the Bairabi-Sairang railway line in September last year, police said.
ILP is an official travel document issued to Indian citizens for entry into protected areas, including Mizoram.
It is part of the provision of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, notified by the British government in 1875.
A police officer at the ILP counter at Sairang station said a total of 20,914 ILPs were issued to tourists, traders, and migrant workers from September 13, 2025, until the end of last year, following the inauguration of the railway line.
An additional 1,517 ILPs were issued between January 1 and 8, bringing the total to 22,431.
“On average, about 100-200 ILPs are issued every time a train arrives at the station. Generally, two trains arrive every day,” the officer said.
Majority of the visitors, particularly those who arrived in October and November, were tourists, while migrant workers and traders formed the bulk in December, he said.
The officer said they have, on some occasions, detected violators, who tried to escape from the station.
He said they have also detected beggars, who were immediately sent back to their native villages.
Visitors generally come from different states, including Delhi, West Bengal, and southern states, with the highest number coming from neighbouring Assam.
Police admitted facing an acute manpower shortage, as they currently perform duties of the Government Railway Police (GRP) alongside maintaining law and order and managing ILP verification.
“Although the GRP is yet to be formally notified, we execute their duties, including controlling traffic and parking. The shortage of manpower is a challenge, especially when 1,500-2,000 passengers arrive at once,” the officer, who requested anonymity, said.
Currently, 20 policemen are posted at the station, sometimes working until 2 am due to train delays and resuming duties at 7 am. They do not receive any additional allowances for performing GRP duties, the officer claimed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 51.38 km-long Bairabi-Sairang railway line on September 13, 2025, and simultaneously flagged off Mizoram’s maiden Rajdhani Express connecting Delhi, along with two other trains between Aizawl-Kolkata and Aizawl-Guwahati. (PTI)
