India’s “Chicken neck” is all set for a new connectivity boost!In a bid to strengthen regional connectivity to India’s North-eastern States, Indian Railways has announced plans to construct a new underground railway line through the Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the “Chicken’s Neck”. Union minister for railways, information & broadcasting and electronics & information technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said that the project is designed to ensure secure, reliable and uninterrupted rail connectivity in this strategically sensitive region.
Route:
The new line will fall under the Katihar Division of Northeast Frontier Railway and will begin from Tinmile Hat going to Rangapani, and onwards to Bagdogra. En-route, the link will cover parts of Darjeeling and Uttar Dinajpur districts in West Bengal, as well as Kishanganj district in Bihar.
Length:
The proposed underground alignment will run for a total length of 35.76 km between Dumdangi and Bagdogra, with the Dumdangi–Rangapani section measuring 33.40 km. The corridor, approximately 22 km wide, connects mainland India with the North-eastern States and has been planned primarily as an underground route to provide secure and resilient connectivity.
Protection:
Due to the corridor’s proximity to international borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, and its vulnerability to natural disasters, congestion and security risks, the underground railway line is expected to play a critical role. The alignment will offer a protected and non-visible route, enabling the uninterrupted movement of defence personnel, military equipment and emergency relief supplies during emergencies. Its location near Bagdogra Air Force Station and the Bengdubi Army Cantonment of the Indian Army’s 33 Corps also supports integration of air–rail logistics.
Modern tech at play:
The project will be developed using modern technology and advanced engineering, which includes a 2×25 kV AC electrification system, Automatic Signalling (Standard-IV) with VOIP-based communication on OFC and quad cables, bridges built to RDSO 25-ton axle load standards, and twin tunnels constructed using the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) method with NATM tunnels for crossovers, ET reported.Vaishnaw described the Tinmile Hat–Rangapani–Bagdogra underground line as a reflection of railways’ commitment to strengthening strategic infrastructure in the Northeast. West Bengal has received a record budget allocation of Rs. 14,205 crore for railways this year, more than three times the average allocation during 2009–2014. He added that railway projects worth around Rs. 92,000 crore are currently underway in the State, which will facilitate major infrastructural transformation.Additionally, the Union minister revealed that the first Bullet Train for West Bengal, announced in this year’s Rail Budget, will begin its journey from Siliguri.
