Desk: The central government has begun preparations to further strengthen the Siliguri Corridor, the strategic lifeline connecting India’s mainland to the northeastern states. Commonly referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck,” the corridor may soon see the construction of a 40-kilometre underground railway line, aimed at ensuring uninterrupted connectivity and enhanced security.
Addressing an online conference on Monday to brief officials about railway-related provisions in the Union Budget, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that a special strategic plan is being developed for this sensitive region. The plan includes laying an underground railway track and expanding the existing rail infrastructure to four lines.
“The 40-kilometre strategic corridor that connects the Northeast with the rest of the country is being strengthened under a special plan to ensure long-term connectivity and security,” the minister said.
Providing further details, Northeast Frontier Railway General Manager Chetan Kumar said feasibility and technical studies are underway to construct an underground rail line in the narrow corridor. According to the proposal, the line will run from Tin Mile Haat in West Bengal to areas near Rangapani railway station.
The Siliguri Corridor is the only land link between mainland India and the seven northeastern states, making it crucial not just for civilian transport but also for defence logistics, trade, and essential supplies.
Strategic concerns surrounding the corridor have intensified in recent months. Statements emerging from Bangladesh have reportedly referred to the possibility of “choking” the Siliguri Corridor, prompting heightened alertness within India’s strategic and security establishments. During Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, India had worked on road connectivity projects through Bangladesh to access the Northeast, but rising anti-India sentiment in the country has made that route increasingly unreliable.
India’s alternative connectivity plan through Myanmar’s Sittwe Port has also stalled due to the country’s ongoing military rule and expanding Chinese influence in the region.
The Siliguri Corridor has long been under the watch of hostile elements. During the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Delhi riots accused Sharjeel Imam had sparked controversy by calling for blocking the corridor to cut off Assam and other northeastern states from the rest of India. More recently, Bangladesh’s interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, during a visit to Beijing, described himself as a “guardian of the Bay of Bengal” and remarked that India’s seven northeastern states depend on Bangladesh for access. He also invited China to engage more actively in the region.
Against this backdrop of rising geopolitical and security challenges, the proposed underground railway project in the Siliguri Corridor is being viewed as a long-term strategic move to safeguard India’s territorial integrity and national security.