Bairabi-Sairang railway project to connect Mizoram via Hailakandi

Hailakandi, Dec 20: The Bairabi-Sairang New Line Railway Project to connect Mizoram via Hailakandi district of South Assam's Barak Valley to the rest of the country is likely to be completed soon, informed an official of NF Railway on Monday.

Once completed, the communication will be very easier in the hilly area, particularly in Mizoram. Sairang is around 21 kms from Mizoram's capital Aizawl and more than 150 kms from Hailakandi.

The Bairabi – Sairang project aimed to create an additional 51.38 km of railway track in Northeast India.

Presently, only one passenger train with few compartments runs from Bairabi to Silchar via Hailakandi in the morning and returns in the evening everyday. The vegetables and other forest materials are being transported from Mizoram and Hailakandi through this train.

The Bairabi-Sairang New Line Railway Project consists of 55 numbers of major bridges which require about 42000 MT of steel to be fabricated, transported and erected, official added.

Record 35000 MT of steel has been fabricated in last 14 months and about 30000 MT has been transported to various work sites.

"Transportation of fabricated girders to bridge sites through various bridge sites is very difficult and challenging task that is being done with round the clock deployment of trailers and heavy machines for assisting in sharp curves of narrow hilly roads and pulling and pushing at steeper gradients of these trailers", official added.

The workers are facing challenging situation due to its hilly terrain and forests, non-availability of skilled labour and materials, the work is going at night shift also, official claimed and hoped that the scenic beauty and other resources of Mizoram and southern part of Hailakandi district of Barak Valley, the tourism sector will boost up after starting of long distance train in this sector and will also fulfil the need of the people of the area.