Railway to Sairang: A Potential Link to Southeast Asia

• The Indian Railways has commissioned a 51.38 km railway track to Sairang, 18 km short of Mizoram’s capital Aizawl, a significant step towards India’s ambitious Act East Policy.

• The project, which aims to connect all northeastern State capitals to the country’s rail network, was part of the Indian Railways’ plan in the early 2010s.

• The Sairang railway station is 18 km short of Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl.

• The project, which cost over ₹5,020 crore, is expected to boost tourism, trade, and transportation of goods, reducing dependence on trucks.

• The Act East Policy, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, aims to transform the northeastern region into India’s gateway to the ASEAN bloc.

• The Act East Policy has seen a 300% increase in budgetary allocations for the region, with over 10,000 km of highways and 800 km of railway tracks built, eight new airports established, and several inland waterway projects undertaken.

• The project has been stalled due to the civil war in Myanmar following a military coup in February 2021 and the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh in August 2024.

• The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar, which would have reduced the distance between Mizoram and Kolkata by 1,000 km, has been delayed.