Mizoram: Environmental group opposes Sairang-Hmawngbuchhuah railway extension

Aizawl: The Aizawl-based Centre for Environment and Social Justice (CESJ) has expressed strong opposition to the proposed extension of the railway line to the southern part of Mizoram, citing environmental concerns.

The group treasurer, Saizampuii Sailo, stated on Friday that there is a plan to extend the railway line from Sairang to Hmawngbuchhuah, the southern tip of the state in Lawngtlai district bordering Myanmar.

She said the project will surely cause environmental damage, which, in turn, will lead to the depletion of water sources.

Given the current situation of river sources across the state, Mizoram is likely to face a water crisis in the near future, she warned.

"The CESJ thinks that no further major project should be undertaken that can damage the environment and water sources in a hilly state with a fragile ecosystem like Mizoram. Looking at the present condition of our river sources, we will face a severe water crisis in the near future," Sailo told a news conference, adding that the association will oppose the plan till the end.

Sailo further stated that the railway line will also bring an influx from outside, as was experienced in some Northeastern areas like Nagaland's Dimapur.

"Nagaland refused to extend the railway line to its interior because it learned a lesson from the opening of the railway line up to Dimapur.

Similarly, Meghalaya also strongly opposed the extension of the railway line due to the potential influx from outside," she said.

Sailo stated that Sairang has already turned into the "Dimapur of Mizoram."

She added that more major projects, including railways, should not be undertaken in the state at the cost of its fragile environment and water sources.

In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sairang-Bairabi railway line, which brought Mizoram onto the country's railway map for the first time.

The railway project, which was considered one of the most challenging projects in Indian Railway history, links Mizoram's capital, Aizawl, with the rest of the country through Assam's Silchar town.

Officials said that the number of tourists visiting the state has increased significantly after the opening of the new railway line.

Officials also said that a preliminary survey of the 223-km Sairang-Hmawngbuchhuah railway project was completed in 2015 and 2017, and the Railway Board approved the final location survey in 2023.

The project, which was previously abandoned due to 'non-economic viability,' is intended to connect with the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project under the Act East policy, they said.