Centre plans underground rail tracks along ‘Chicken’s Neck’ to secure NE link

New Delhi, Feb 2: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Monday, said the Centre is planning to lay underground railway tracks along a 40-km strategic corridor in West Bengal, a crucial link connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country, amid heightened security considerations.

Addressing the press via video conference while outlining the Union Budget allocations for the Railways, Vaishnaw said special planning is underway for the corridor, which runs through the narrow Siliguri region, often referred to as India’s “Chicken’s Neck”.

“There is special planning for the 40-km strategic corridor connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country. The planning is on to lay underground railway tracks and also to convert the existing lines into four-line tracks,” the Minister said.

Providing operational details, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava said the proposed underground railway stretch would run between Tin Mile Haat and Rangapani railway stations in West Bengal.

“This underground section is important from a security point of view,” Shrivastava said.

One of the lines will go towards Bagdogra in West Bengal, which is vital for the air defence mechanism of the country. Shrivastava said the tracks will be laid around 20-24 metres underground over a plain area, he said.

NFR Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), Hitendra Goyal added that added that along with the underground tracks, the existing double line on the stretch will be converted into a four-line one.

"When these plans are implemented, it will essentially mean that the strategic corridor will have six lines of railway track - four overground and two underground," one of the officials said.

The Siliguri Corridor, a narrow land strip linking the Northeast to mainland India, has long been viewed as a strategic vulnerability.

In recent years, the region has drawn renewed attention due to evolving geopolitical and security developments in the neighbourhood.

At The Assam Tribune Dialogue 25 held in November 2025, former Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita (retd) had flagged growing security concerns around the corridor.

He had pointed to increasing Chinese activity near the region and political changes in Bangladesh as key factors warranting heightened vigilance.

“The Chicken’s Neck has always been a security concern. Growing Chinese footprints near the region and changes in the government in Bangladesh are major concerns. Strengthening connectivity and creating redundancies are essential, and demographic changes in the area also need close attention,” Kalita had said.

Security concerns intensified last year following reports that Bangladesh was building an airbase at Lalmonirhat in Rangpur division, located about 20 km from India’s Siliguri Corridor.

While Dhaka’s detailed plans remain unclear, India has reasons for caution due to reported Chinese involvement in the project.

Defence analysts have warned that such a facility could potentially enable rapid deployment of fighter jets, surveillance aircraft and drones, and facilitate monitoring of Indian military movements across the Northeast, Sikkim and West Bengal.

However, offering a nuanced assessment, Brigadier Ranjit Barthakur (retd) told The Assam Tribune on January 24 that the principal threat to the corridor would come from China rather than Bangladesh.

“Much hype has been created about Bangladesh cutting off the Chicken’s Neck, but Bangladesh does not have the capacity to do so. The real concern is China, and India is fully prepared to handle any eventuality,” he said.

Against this backdrop, the Railway Ministry’s plan along the Siliguri Corridor is being viewed as a strategic infrastructure move, aimed at strengthening connectivity while addressing long-standing national security concerns.

With inputs from PTI