New Delhi/Guwahati: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday felicitated the teams of engineers and officials behind the successful completion of two major new rail line projects — Bairabi-Sairang in Mizoram, and Araria-Galgalia in Bihar — at a programme held in the national capital.
The awards recognised the extraordinary dedication, innovation, and teamwork of Railway officials and engineers who played key roles in completing these ambitious projects that strengthen connectivity, promote regional integration, and drive inclusive growth.
According to Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, both the Bairabi-Sairang and Araria-Galgalia projects stand as shining examples of Indian Railways’ commitment to expanding the national rail network and bridging remote regions with modern infrastructure.
He said the Bairabi-Sairang new rail line project marks a historic milestone for the Northeast, providing rail connectivity to Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram, for the first time — effectively integrating the state into India’s railway grid.
The 51.38-kilometre-long Bairabi–Sairang section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Aizawl on September 13. The project showcases exceptional engineering, comprising 45 tunnels, 143 bridges (including one taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar), and four new stations at Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang, and Sairang.
“Despite extremely challenging terrain and adverse weather, the Northeast Frontier Railway (Construction) team successfully executed this complex project, which will boost trade, tourism, and socio-economic development across Mizoram and the wider Northeast,” Sharma said.
Similarly, the Araria-Galgalia broad gauge rail line, spanning 110.75 kilometres, has achieved full completion following statutory inspection by Commissioner of Railway Safety Sumeet Singhal between July 9 and 11. The new section was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on September 15, when he flagged off the first passenger train service on the route.
The line, constructed under the Northeast Frontier Railway zone, includes 64 major bridges, 264 minor bridges, and 15 stations, with authorisation for train operations at speeds up to 100 kmph. The project is expected to strengthen regional connectivity and fuel development in Bihar and adjoining areas, Sharma said.
Senior Railway officials, including Satish Kumar, Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board; Arun Kumar Chaudhary, General Manager (NFR Construction); Anjani Kumar and Hitendra Goyal, Chief Administrative Officers (NFR Construction); and several engineers and project members attended the felicitation ceremony.
The Northeast Frontier Railway, headquartered in Maligaon, Guwahati, operates across the Northeastern states, seven districts of West Bengal, and five districts of north Bihar, managing more than 7,362 track kilometres of railway lines.
Currently, four Northeastern state capitals — Dispur (Guwahati) in Assam, Agartala in Tripura, Naharlagun near Arunachal Pradesh’s capital Itanagar, and Sairang near Mizoram’s capital Aizawl — are connected by rail. Work is underway to link Imphal, the capital of Manipur, to the national rail network.
The two newly completed projects are part of Indian Railways’ larger mission to bring the entire Northeast under the national railway map, enabling economic growth, improved accessibility, and greater national integration.
(IANS)
