Aizawl, Jan 9: More than 22,000 Inner Line Permits (ILPs) have been issued to visitors arriving at Mizoram’s Sairang railway station since the inauguration of the Bairabi–Sairang railway line in September 2025, police officials said.
The ILP is a mandatory travel document for Indian citizens entering protected areas such as Mizoram, issued under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, notified during British rule in 1875.
According to police officials manning the ILP counter, a total of 20,914 permits were issued to tourists, traders and migrant workers between September 13, 2025, and December 31, following the opening of the railway line. Between January 1 and January 8 this year, another 1,517 permits were issued, taking the cumulative total to 22,431.
“On average, around 100 to 200 ILPs are issued with the arrival of each train, and usually two trains reach the station daily,” a police officer said. Officials noted that the majority of visitors in October and November were tourists, while migrant workers and traders formed a larger share of arrivals in December.
Police also reported detecting occasional violations, including attempts to enter Mizoram without valid ILPs. Beggars found at the station were sent back to their native villages. Visitors have been arriving from various parts of the country, including Delhi, West Bengal, southern states and neighbouring Assam, which accounted for the highest number of arrivals.
However, officials admitted that policing the station has been challenging due to acute manpower shortages. Only 20 police personnel are currently deployed at Sairang station to handle ILP verification, maintain law and order and perform duties of the Government Railway Police (GRP), which has not yet been formally notified. Officers often work extended hours, sometimes until 2 am due to train delays, and resume duty early in the morning, without any additional allowance for GRP responsibilities.
The 51.38-km-long Bairabi–Sairang railway line was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 13, 2025. The project marked a major milestone in Mizoram’s connectivity and included the launch of the state’s first Rajdhani Express linking Aizawl to Delhi, along with two other trains connecting the capital city to Kolkata and Guwahati.
