4,100 Inner Line Permits issued at Mizoram railway stations since launch of Bairabi–Sairang line

At least 4,102 Inner Line Permits (ILPs) have been issued to visitors arriving at various railway stations in Mizoram since the inauguration of the Bairabi–Sairang railway line on September 13, police said on October 9.

According to Aizawl Additional Superintendent of Police Lalringliana Pachuau, a total of 4,064 ILPs were issued from four counters at Sairang railway station near Aizawl, where 14 policemen have been deployed to manage the process. Kolasib Superintendent of Police David H. Lalthangliana added that another 38 ILPs were issued across four railway stations within Kolasib district.

The figures were shared during a review meeting chaired by Home Minister K. Sapdanga to assess the impact of the new railway line on ILP issuance and related security concerns.

Officials noted a 30–40 per cent decline in the number of ILPs issued at the Vairengte check-gate in Kolasib district, as well as a similar drop in the number of maxicabs operating between Mizoram and neighbouring states, following the launch of train services linking Aizawl with Delhi, Kolkata, and Guwahati.

Also Read: Mizoram sees 139.5 per cent surge in tourist footfall in 2024–25: CM Lalduhoma

The Inner Line Permit is a mandatory travel document under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation of 1873, allowing Indian citizens to enter protected areas such as Mizoram. Non-residents must obtain the permit before entry.

Meanwhile, the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the state’s apex student body, voiced concern over what it termed as a “mismatch between the number of visitors and ILPs issued.” MZP president C. Lalremruata said the organisation’s leaders, during an inspection at Sairang railway station on Thursday, found that “several visitors managed to slip out without securing ILPs.”

Lalremruata also pointed to inadequate manpower at ILP counters and the absence of excise officials to monitor the illegal import of alcohol into the dry state. The MZP urged the government to strengthen enforcement at railway stations to prevent illegal entry and smuggling activities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 51.38-km Bairabi–Sairang railway line on September 13, marking Mizoram’s first rail connection to the national capital through the newly launched Rajdhani Express, alongside new trains to Kolkata and Guwahati.