Aizawl (Mizoram) [India], August 23 : Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma today laid the foundation stone for the Prime Minister's Ekta Mall (Unity Mall) at Chawnpui, Aizawl, sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 127 crore under the central scheme.
The upcoming mall will house 36 stalls representing all Indian states and union territories, along with 11 stalls dedicated to Mizoram's districts under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative. It will also feature a food court, theatre, gaming zone, and meeting halls, creating both a cultural and recreational hub.
Developed on land of the Printing & Stationery Department, the project is being executed by HLL Infra Tech Services Ltd. (HITES) with project management by IIFCL Projects Ltd. (IPL). Work will follow the EPC model and is expected to be completed within 24 months by 2027.
Officials said the initiative will generate direct employment for at least 220 youth and forms part of the national SASCI 2023-24 programme aimed at promoting cultural exchange, tourism, and entrepreneurship.
Earlier on Friday, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the state's first railway station at Sairang on September 13.
The Chief Minister announced this while addressing the 15th Conference of the Mizoram Police Service Association (MPSA) at GS Arya Mess, PHQ, Aizawl.
Sairang Railway Station will be the terminus of the 51.38 km Bairabi-Sairang broad-gauge line, a project that began in 2008-09. The line is considered a major engineering achievement with 48 tunnels, 55 major bridges and the country's tallest railway pier at 104 metres.
The project is nearing completion and has already cleared trial runs conducted by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. Passenger services are expected to begin from September.
According to officials, the new connectivity will help reduce transport costs, ease passenger travel and boost Mizoram's economy, agriculture and tourism. The state government also plans to develop Sairang as a world-class station with modern facilities and extend long-distance services, including Rajdhani Express routes.
The Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram is fully completed. Connecting Aizawl to India's rail network via Silchar, the project includes 48 tunnels & multiple bridges, marking a major boost to North East connectivity & development.