Mizoram rail link transports first automobile rake to Sairang station

Guwahati: For the first time, Mizoram’s capital Aizawl has been connected to the Indian Railways network for automobile transport, with a total of 119 Maruti Suzuki cars delivered to Sairang Railway Station from Changsari near Assam's Guwahati, the Ministry of Railways said on Sunday.

Sairang station is located about 20 km from Aizawl and became operational after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 51.38 km Bairabi-Sairang line on September 13, 2025.

The car movement is part of Indian Railways’ effort to diversify its freight operations, which have traditionally focused on bulk goods, and to support lower carbon emissions in the automobile sector.

The Bairabi-Sairang line is one of the most challenging railway projects in the region, passing through Mizoram’s fragile mountainous terrain.

Freight operations on the line began immediately after the inauguration. On September 14, 2025, 21 cement wagons were transported from Assam to Aizawl, marking the first freight movement.

Since then, the line has been used to carry essential goods including cement, construction materials, automobiles, sand, and stone chips.

The first parcel consignment from Sairang was booked on September 19, 2025, when Anthurium flowers were sent to Anand Vihar Terminal via a parcel van attached to the Sairang to Anand Vihar Terminal Rajdhani Express.

Between September 17 and December 12, a total of 17 freight rakes were handled on the line.

In addition to freight, three passenger trains are currently operating from Aizawl: Sairang to Anand Vihar Terminal Rajdhani Express, Sairang to Guwahati Mizoram Express, and Sairang to Kolkata Express, all running at over 100 percent occupancy.

According to the Railways Ministry, the share of passenger vehicles transported by rail increased to over 20 percent of total car production in FY25, up from just 1.7 percent in FY15. A total of 10.41 lakh cars were dispatched by Indian Railways across the country in FY25, with projections to reach nearly 15 lakh in FY26.

Car loading figures in previous years were 9.69 lakh in FY24, 7.70 lakh in FY23, 4.91 lakh in FY22, 3.98 lakh in FY21, and 3.09 lakh in FY20.

Maruti Suzuki accounts for the largest share of cars transported by rail, followed by Hyundai and Tata Motors. Almost half of all vehicles moved by rail are Maruti Suzuki models.

To encourage car manufacturers to use rail transport, the Automobile Freight Train Operator (AFTO) scheme has been simplified.

Registration fees for AFT operators have been removed, and the minimum required number of rakes for transport has been reduced from three to one.

Nearly 80 percent of cars transported by rail are for domestic sales. Across India, there are 133 railway sidings where cars are loaded and unloaded.