Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju Saturday claimed that despite promises, the Congress regime failed to deliver on railway development in the Northeast, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has transformed the railway landscape in the region. To substantiate his claim, Rijiju shared a video clip from 1990 featuring then Railways Minister George Fernandes, discussing plans to expand railway connectivity into Manipur.
“Today is a historic day for NorthEast. In 1990, Minister of Railways George Fernandes talked about Railways for Manipur. Thereafter, the Congress regime didn’t do anything. Now, Narendra Modi ji has changed the railway landscape in the North-East,” Rijiju said.
Prime Minister Modi marked a significant milestone for Mizoram by flagging off the Bairabi-Sairang railway line, connecting Aizawl to the Indian Railways map after over 172 years of railways being introduced in the country. Rijiju described the day as “historic for the Northeast,” highlighting the long-unfulfilled promises of railway development in the region.
During his visit, PM Modi flagged off three new trains including Sairang-Anand Vihar (Delhi) Rajdhani Express (weekly), Kolkata-Sairang-Kolkata Express (tri-weekly), and Guwahati-Sairang-Guwahati Express (daily).
Addressing a large gathering virtually, PM Modi highlighted Mizoram’s contribution to the nation’s journey, saying, “Whether it is the freedom movement or nation building, the people of Mizoram have always come forward to contribute… Sacrifice and service, courage and compassion — these values are at the centre of Mizo society.” He added, “Today, Mizoram is playing an important role in India’s development journey. This is a historic day for the nation, particularly for the people of Mizoram.”
The Bairabi-Sairang broad gauge project, sanctioned in 2008-2009, has been completed at a cost of Rs 8,213.72 crore under the Northeast Frontier Railway. The project is a significant part of the Centre’s Act East Policy, designed to link Aizawl with Silchar in Assam and connect it with the rest of the country. PM Modi had laid the foundation stone for the project in 2014, and construction began in 2015.