Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused opposition parties of making the Northeast “suffer greatly” through decades of vote bank politics, while asserting that his government has brought long-neglected states to the forefront of India’s development journey.
Inaugurating Mizoram’s first railway line — the 51-km Bairabi–Sairang project built at a cost of over ₹8,000 crore — PM Modi said the new connectivity will serve as a “lifeline of transformation” for the people of the state. Due to inclement weather, he addressed the gathering virtually from Lengpui Airport.
“For years, some political parties focused only on areas with more seats and votes. The entire Northeast suffered greatly because of this attitude. Our approach is different — those who were once ignored are now leading India’s growth story,” Modi said.
Calling the moment “historic,” the Prime Minister said the project will put Aizawl on India’s railway map for the first time, improve market access for farmers and businesses, and boost opportunities in education, healthcare, tourism, and startups. He also flagged off three trains — the Sairang–Delhi Rajdhani Express, Sairang–Guwahati Express, and Sairang–Kolkata Express.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw underlined the engineering challenges behind the project, which required 143 bridges and 45 tunnels, including one taller than the Qutub Minar. He also noted that the railway budget for the Northeast had increased five-fold under Modi’s leadership.
Apart from the rail line, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for key road projects, including the Aizawl Bypass, Thenzawl–Sialsuk Road, Khankawn–Rongura Road, and the Chhimtuipui River Bridge under the Kaladan Multimodal Transit framework, aimed at enhancing regional and cross-border connectivity.
PM Modi also highlighted the Northeast’s growing role in India’s startup ecosystem, noting that over 4,500 startups and 25 incubators are operating in the region. “Mizoram is blessed with talented youth, and our responsibility is to empower them,” he said.
The Mizoram visit is part of the Prime Minister’s three-day tour of five states — Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar — during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of projects worth ₹71,850 crore.
