Over 4,000 ILPs issued to visitors since opening of Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram: Police

Aizawl, Oct 9 (PTI) At least 4,102 inner line permits (ILPs) have been issued to visitors at various railway stations in Mizoram since the opening of the Bairabi-Sairang line on September 13, police said on Thursday.

The number of ILPs issued to visitors, especially those travelling by road, at Vairengte check-gate in Kolasib district and the number of maxicabs running between Mizoram and other neighbouring states have declined by 30-40 per cent after the opening of the railway line, they said.

These were pointed out at a meeting chaired by Home Minister K Sapdanga on Thursday to review the issuance of ILPs and other impacts brought about by the railway line.

ILP is an official travel document issued to Indian citizens for entry into protected areas, including Mizoram. It is part of the provision of Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 notified by the British colonial government in 1875.

Non-state residents are required to obtain ILP to enter Mizoram.

Aizawl Additional Superintendent of Police Lalringliana Pachuau said that a total of 4,064 ILPs have so far been issued from four counters at Sairang railway station near Aizawl since the opening of Bairabi-Sairang railway line on September 13.

He said that 14 policemen have been deployed at the four ILP counters in Sairang railway station.

According to Kolasib Superintendent of Police David H Lalthangliana, ILPs have been issued to 38 people from four railway stations within Kolasib district after the opening of the Bairabi-Sairang railway line.

He said that the ILP issuance at Vairengte check-gate and the number of maxicabs running between Mizoram and other neighbouring states has significantly decreased by 30-40 per cent after the opening of railway line and launching of train services between Aizawl and Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.

Meanwhile, the state's apex student body, Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), expressed concern over "lesser issuance of ILPs compared to the huge number of visitors" from outside the state.

"Leaders of the student organisation on Thursday inspected Sairang railway station and observed that ILP issuance did not correspond to the number of visitors, raising concerns about illegal influx," MZP president C Lalremruata said.

He alleged that several visitors travelling in trains sneaked out of the railway station without obtaining ILPs.

The MZP expressed concern over manpower crunch at ILP counters and absence of excise officials to check illegal import of alcohol to the dry state, Lalremruata said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 13 launched the Bairabi-Sairang railway line and simultaneously flagged off Mizoram's maiden Rajdhani train connecting Delhi and two other trains connecting Aizawl to Kolkata and Guwahati. PTI CORR ACD