By Kavya Dubey

Aizawl (Mizoram)/New Delhi (India), September 27 (ANI): The nation is abuzz with the accomplishment of a landmark development, and governments are jubilant with one more Northeastern state getting its capital connected with major Indian cities.

This feat comes swift on the heels of two major embarkments of the Central government: One, promoting the Northeastern region by launching massive investment projects, paving its way to become an economic powerhouse (in Rising North East Investors Summit--a conclave with 80 countries on board-- in May, PM Modi highlighted that over the past decade, Rs 21,000 crore has been invested in the region's education sector alone); and two, strengthening railway connectivity across India by flagging off several (Vande Bharat Express) trains.

The Northeastern state of Mizoram--where the Indian Railways' Bairabi-Sairang rail link was opened in Aizawl on September 13--shares its border with Bangladesh on one side and Myanmar on two sides, and is marked by a sensitive ecosystem and rich biodiversity (it is the fourth most heavily forested state in India). With an urbanisation rate of 51 per cent, it is the most urbanised state in the Northeast and stands fifth in this category nationwide. Further, it is the second least populated state in the country with a strength of about 12 lakh, and as an Aizawl-based professor said, that's 'about 15 per cent of daily commuters of Delhi Metro.'

Situated at the eastern end of India, connected with the country on just its northern side, traversing to this ethnically distinct and geographically challenging part of India from across the breadth of the nation was once a herculean task--often undertaken by those who had to.

A distant state brought closer

Chandigarh-based (retired) Maj Gen Prabdeep Singh Behl, in conversation with ANI, recounted the long and arduous journey his family would make from their home in Gurdaspur to reach Serchhip, a town in what is now the state of Mizoram, where his father was posted as Lieutenant Colonel to command a battalion of Assam Rifles.

Travelling all the way from Punjab to Mizoram in the early 70s, the journey began with a train from Gurdaspur to Amritsar before switching to another train for Delhi. Then, 'Delhi to Lucknow, then switched from broad gauge to metre gauge in Barauni (Bengal), then ferry across Farakka Barrage, then took another train that went to Guwahati,' he said. It was on the fourth day that one reached Guwahati from Gurdaspur.

Significantly, 'the travel time was cut to three days after the bridge over Farakka Barrage came up [1975].' The train travel within Assam from Guwahati to Silchar was then a two-day journey.

Day six, they reached Silchar. 'No more trains,' so further travel was on a single-lane, narrow mud road that led to Aijal (as Aizawl was then called) after a nine-to-ten-hour drive, where they halted for the night.

The next day's final drive from Aijal to Serchhip was on an Army's Willy Jeep that had a trailer attached to it, laden with 'vegetables, rations, even fowl and eggs -- all came down from Silchar.'

After a week of travel to Serchhip, the veteran, as a boy of eight, shared his memory of travelling by road with his family of six in their Fiat 1100D: 'Dad, mom, me, my brother and two dogs--we would leave our personal car at Silchar, and from there, the Willy Jeep. At times, my father would drive all the way from Mizoram to Punjab. We would spend about a month in Punjab and then drive back again.'

Maj Gen Behl spotlighted that those were days of insurgency, 'so it was not safe to travel.' There were convoy timings, and one could not go independently but only 'move with the convoy under protection.'

Post-Independence, Mizoram remained a part of Assam as a district by the name of Lushai Hills. A series of critical events in the 1960s culminated in the formalisation of the Mizoram Peace Accord in 1986. After being a Union Territory since 1972, in 1987, Mizoram became the 23rd state of India.

Fast forward to 2025, mobility is much more swift with rail connectivity. Journey from Punjab to Assam can now be made within two days. And with the newly inaugurated Bairabi-Sairang railway line, Aizawl is just three hours from Silchar.

Ambitious project, grave concerns

This developmental milestone, the Bairabi-Sairang railway line, which connects Mizoram to other parts of the country, consists of 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges and 87 minor bridges. The total length of the tunnels on this track adds up to 12,853 metres. This project is expected to give a significant fillip to the economy and connectivity in the Northeast.

For 25-year-old Aizawl-based small business owner Joseph Hmingropuia, this railway line is a 'monumental development in the history of Mizoram.' However, 'there are several factors which we need to keep in mind regarding the demography,' he cautioned.

He underscored that under Article 371 G of the Constitution, 'Mizoram has the right to safeguard itself from the outsiders.' This Article grants special provisions to the Northeastern state with regard to the administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Mizo customary law, and ownership and transfer of land, among other provisions.

Highlighting that there are many non-Mizos residing in the state in pursuit of education and other justified engagements such as lawfully conducted businesses, they are 'aware of the sentiments of the Mizo people and the laws, and they don't cause any problem,' said Joseph. 'But some miscreants want to come to Mizoram and do business illegally,' he complained.

He pointed out that some migrants engage in exploitative malpractices by bribing concerned agencies, and 'we are afraid of that,' he said, adding that with the meagre Mizo population, 'we cannot keep them in check every time.'

Other than government servants on official visits, any private domestic visitor to Mizoram requires a valid Inner Line Pass, a permit to establish the legal status of their presence in the state.

'We Mizos are very welcoming to our Indian brothers and sisters who wish to explore and build a relationship with us, but the only thing we cannot tolerate is people with this idea: 'We are all Indians, we can do whatever we like,' disregarding the social norms of the Mizo,' he asserted.

Among the 'illegal businesses', as mentioned by Joseph, is the rapid construction of roads, which procedurally require forest clearances, but trade malpractices circumvent the formalities and end up creating unsustainable infrastructure at the cost of both the environment and resources.

With regard to the economic development coming with the Bairabi-Sairang railway line, Joseph pointed out that this train line will bring Mizoram closer to Assam, as most goods come from Silchar and Guwahati.

However, doubting that this railway line could substitute road transport, he said, '200-300 goods-bearing trucks come in Mizoram daily. Railways will not be very effective over road transport.' With regard to boosting employment in the state, Joseph said, 'It is expected to boost taxi services.'

Explaining further, a senior faculty member of a department of natural science in a university in Aizawl, requesting anonymity, told ANI that this railway line 'can serve as a lifeline when the roads are in bad condition during monsoons,' as transporters refuse to enter the state due to bad roads. The possible dangers of going on these roads are the major potholes that can lead to accidents and incur heavy losses.

Doubting that this train service will be effective with regard to carrying passengers, he hoped that goods like construction materials would get cheaper as they 'will be available a little more easily.'

However, resonating with the fears of Joseph, the professor said that the people of Mizoram are wary of the influx of people from other parts of the country because 'the resources we have here are limited; also, the habitable part of land is less due to mountainous terrain. The carrying capacity of land is less,' he explained.

'We fear there are Bangladeshi migrants who are getting naturalised in Assam. They can come with an Inner Line Permit and stay accordingly,' he clarified.

From the point of view of conservation, 'Mizoram's forests are around 50 per cent bamboo. As of now, the Supreme Court does not allow the export of timber from the entire northeast, but if a massive amount of bamboo is sent out from Mizoram, it can lead to very, very high ecological impact,' said the professor.

On the other hand, he suggested that the government could propose sustainable farming since bamboo can grow very fast. 'But if the harvest is unrestricted, it can lead to massive deforestation along the river banks, and that will affect Mizoram,' he added.

Acknowledging that this railway line was constructed mindfully so as to minimise environmental damage, with elevated tracks and tunnels, '50-60 per cent of it does not affect wildlife corridors,' the professor estimated.

However, 'Landslides are a major concern, and uncontrolled road construction, as state agencies are not taking forest clearance,' he pointed out. In such a situation, rivers end up bearing the brunt of such 'illegal' activities. 'It also impacts the drinking water supply system of Aizawl and other cities, and pollutes rivers,' he added.

'If forests along the rivers are destroyed, the run-off will be too much, the rivers will swell, and floods will happen, as was experienced last year,' the scholar cautioned.

'We don't want uncontrolled construction; it should not destroy the river and forest ecosystems and have minimal environmental impact,' the professor asserted.

However, 'The thing I fear most is that the Central government is planning to construct [a railway line] till Myanmar under the Act East Policy. Aizawl is not the destination,' he said, adding, 'This train will go along river Tlawng, to be extended till Myanmar.'

While most people in Mizoram see this railway line as a positive development, 'We are concerned as this river is a major lifeline, a source of drinking water for all of Aizawl city's four to five lakh population. Due to climate change, the volume of water in the river Tlawng is declining year by year, but the river can deplete at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities,' the scholar cautioned again.

The bigger picture

Given the critical situation, what necessitates the investment of Rs 8,071 crore Bairabi-Sairang railway line over better roads in Mizoram when roads are more useful to the common man?

The University professor paused before answering the 'difficult question' and said: 'Myanmar's Rare Earth Elements (REE); the Kachin belt is rich in REE.' He indicated that the Indian government has a larger goal with that mineral resource in view, pointing to the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project.

This ambitious project seeks to connect India and Myanmar via Bay of Bengal and create a multimodal mode of transport for the shipment of cargo between India's Northeast and its eastern ports to Myanmar. Myanmar's REE mining is concentrated in Kachin State in the north, where it borders India and China.

REE are a group of 17 metals essential for manufacturing consumer electronics and clean energy technologies, along with their usage in areas like defence, medicine (imaging), and industrial processes like refining and polishing. These vital components make modern technology faster and more efficient.

The Kaladan Multimodal Transit Project is also significant as it is an alternative to the crucial but vulnerable Siliguri corridor, also known as the 'Chicken's Neck', the narrow stretch in West Bengal that serves as the only terrestrial route to the Northeast from within India's territory. Any disruption here can potentially sever the Northeast from the rest of India.

This connectivity bears some significant strategic value. Mizoram has a 'non-problematic location' with Bangladesh on one side and Myanmar on the other. Relations with both nations at present, however, are guarded. 'At the moment, all is peaceful. But more the connectivity, faster the movement of troops in case of an operation to be carried out,' said Maj Gen Behl.

'As of now, Mizoram is one of the most (highly) educated states, best of civic sense; though they have their own problems because of the issues going on in Myanmar and Bangladesh. A lot of infiltration takes place across the border. BSF and Assam Rifles are handling the situation. So, the connectivity enables faster movement of troops,' underscored the veteran.

'Plus, we want to maintain our relations with Myanmar. As far as economy and security are concerned, China is trying to stall the Kaladan project in Myanmar along this particular region along the borders,' said Maj Gen Behl, adding, 'We have always had better (military to military) contacts with the Myanmar army traditionally.' (ANI)