Context:
The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) has approved the final Hortoki–Sairang section, marking the first-ever rail connectivity to Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram.
About the Project
- The Bairabi–Sairang rail line spans 51.38 km and is a major infrastructure milestone in Mizoram.
- Key Engineering Features:
- 48 tunnels, with a total length of 12.8 km
- 55 major bridges, including Bridge No. 196, which stands 104 metres tall—taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar.
Route Segments
The line is divided into four phases:
- Bairabi–Hortoki
- Hortoki–Kawnpui
- Kawnpui–Mualkhang
- Mualkhang–Sairang
- The final segment, Hortoki–Sairang (33.86 km), now links Aizawl—located 20 km from Sairang—to the Indian Railways grid.
National Significance
- Mizoram becomes the fourth Northeastern state capital to be connected via rail, following:
- Assam (Guwahati)
- Tripura (Agartala)
- Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar/Naharlagun)
About the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS)
- A statutory body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
- Legal Basis: Governed by the Railways Act, 1989.
- Functions:
- Grants approval for new railway lines
- Conducts safety inspections and audits
- Investigates major railway accidents
- Final clearance by CRS is mandatory before any new line becomes operational for public use.