Siliguri "Chicken's Neck" Corridor to Get Underground Rail Link Amid Strategic Concerns

The Union government on Tuesday announced plans to develop underground railway lines in the Siliguri Corridor, a strategically vital stretch connecting the Northeast to the rest of India, as Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined infrastructure measures aimed at strengthening connectivity and security in the region amid growing geopolitical tensions involving Bangladesh and China.

The Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the Chicken’s Neck Corridor, is a narrow land stretch measuring between 17 and 22 kilometres at its narrowest point. It lies at the tri-junction of Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, with China further beyond, and serves as the only land link connecting India’s Northeastern states with the mainland. Owing to its geography, the corridor has long been viewed as a strategic vulnerability.

In recent years, the region has frequently figured in hostile rhetoric by India’s neighbours. Tensions have sharpened following a series of actions and statements by Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Most recently, the Chinese envoy to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, was taken to inspect the Teesta project area, located close to the Siliguri Corridor, raising strategic concerns in New Delhi.

Earlier, Yunus had drawn criticism for gifting an artwork to Pakistan’s General Sahir Shamshad Mirza that depicted India’s Northeast as part of an expanded Bangladesh. He had also described the Northeast as “landlocked” during an earlier visit to China, suggesting economic expansion through Bangladesh, which he termed the region’s “only guardian of the ocean”.

India Takes Action

Against this backdrop, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Centre has drawn up special infrastructure plans for the strategic Siliguri Corridor. “Four railway lines and underground lines are planned to revamp connectivity to the Northeast, and the work is going on at full swing,” Vaishnaw said, adding that the initiative is aimed at creating a more secure and resilient transport network.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the announcement and described it as a major strategic breakthrough. In a post on X, Sarma said the Siliguri Corridor had been used for decades as an intimidation tool by anti-national forces and that the proposed underground rail link would create a “secure and foolproof transportation corridor” between the Northeast and the rest of the country.

This is BIG.

For decades, the “Chicken’s Neck” has been used as an intimidation tactic by anti-national forces, both within and beyond our borders. The proposed underground rail link marks a major strategic breakthrough, creating a secure and foolproof transportation corridor… pic.twitter.com/8lypj7MoZJ

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 3, 2026

Sarma credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railways Minister Vaishnaw for addressing what he termed a long-standing strategic vulnerability, stating that the move would significantly strengthen national security and connectivity in the region.