India Announces Plans for Underground Railway in Siliguri’s Strategic ‘Chicken’s Neck’ Corridor
New Delhi/Guwahati, February 3, 2026 — In a significant move to bolster connectivity and security to India’s Northeastern states, the Union government has unveiled plans to construct underground railway tracks along the vulnerable Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the “Chicken’s Neck.”
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made the announcement on February 2, 2026, while outlining allocations for the Railways in the Union Budget. He highlighted special planning for the approximately 40-km strategic corridor in northern West Bengal that serves as the sole terrestrial link between mainland India and the eight Northeastern states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.
The Siliguri Corridor is a narrow strip of land, roughly 20–25 km wide at its narrowest point, bordered by Nepal to the west, Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh to the south. This geographical chokepoint has long been regarded as a critical vulnerability—often described as India’s “Achilles’ heel”—due to its potential to isolate the Northeast in the event of any disruption, whether from natural causes, conflict, or targeted interference.
Vaishnaw stated that the proposal includes laying underground railway tracks and expanding the existing lines to four tracks (quadrupling) to enhance capacity, redundancy, and resilience. “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 make the existing tracks four-line,” he said during a video conference briefing on the Budget.
Providing further details, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava confirmed that the underground stretch would run between Tin Mile Haat (also referred to as Teen Mile Haat) and Rangapani railway stations in West Bengal. Some reports specify a proposed ~22-km underground tunnel segment within this alignment. The tracks are expected to be laid 20–24 metres below ground level across the relatively flat terrain, with one line potentially extending toward Bagdogra, which holds importance for national air defence infrastructure.
The decision to pursue an underground alignment is driven primarily by security considerations. Recent geopolitical developments, including political changes in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, have amplified concerns. Certain groups have openly discussed “choking the Chicken’s Neck” to sever Northeast India’s links with the mainland, amid rhetoric envisioning the region as part of a “greater Bangladesh.” Bangladesh’s growing ties with China, including reports of reviving facilities near the border, have added to the unease.
Historical incidents, such as the 2017 Doklam standoff between India and China, have also underscored the corridor’s fragility. Any surface-level disruption—whether from military action, sabotage, or blockade—could cut off essential supply lines, civilian movement, and rapid troop deployment to the Northeast.
An official involved in the planning emphasized that “taking the tracks underground is part of the strategy to ensure connectivity even in times of crises.” This approach would help maintain vital rail services for goods, passengers, and military logistics, even if surface infrastructure faces threats.
The proposal aligns with broader efforts to strengthen Northeast connectivity, including ongoing rail extensions to border areas, new lines in states like Manipur and Nagaland, and high-speed rail concepts such as the recently announced Varanasi-Siliguri corridor. While the announcement ties into the 2026–27 Budget framework, detailed timelines for feasibility studies, land acquisition, engineering, or construction have not yet been specified.
This initiative reflects a dual focus on infrastructure development and strategic hardening of one of India’s most geopolitically sensitive chokepoints, aiming to reduce long-standing vulnerabilities while improving overall regional integration.
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