Mizoram: Broad-gauge line to Myanmar border isn't attainable, says Railway Minister

According to the Official statement, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that the Centre has stopped measures for the development of a broad-gauge railway line to connect south Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district bordering Myanmar because it is financially not reasonable.

The statement also said that " In a written reply to lone Mizoram Lok Sabha member C. Lalrosanga, the Union Minister said that a reconnaisance engineering-cum-traffic survey had been conducted for the proposed development of a broad gauge railway line between Sairang close to Aizawl and Hmawngbuchhuah in Lawngtlai district."

Union Minister said that the proposed broad gauge railway line is assessed to be 223 km long and the expected cost of the project is over Rs. 15,000 crore.

Vaishnaw said, “The Rate of Return (RoR) of the proposed venture is assessed to be minus 10.45 percent. Measures for the project  might not continue further since it'll earn less return as compared to the expected project cost."

The construction of the BG railway line between Sairang and Hmawngbuchhuah is one of the most expected and long-standing yearnings of the people of Mizoram.

The NFR is now executing a 51.38 km long broad gauge railway line project between Sairang and Bairabi on the Mizoram-Assam border at an evaluated cost of Rs. 6,527 crore.

Agreeing to officials, there will be 55 major, 87 minor bridges, and 32 tunnels measuring approximately 12.65 km within the whole project.

The construction of the broad-gauge line started in 2015 and is planned to be completed by March 2023.