India Plans Underground Rail in "Chicken's Neck" Corridor for Strategic Security

• India is planning underground railway tracks in the Siliguri Corridor, known as the "Chicken's Neck," a narrow strip in West Bengal connecting the Northeast.
• The project aims to strengthen connectivity and safeguard this strategically vulnerable zone, which is barely 20-25 km wide at its narrowest point.
• Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced detailed planning for a 40-kilometer underground section and a 22-kilometer tunnel between Tin Mile Haat and Rangapani stations.
• The initiative addresses heightened geopolitical tensions, including threats to "choke the Chicken's Neck" and Dhaka's outreach to China, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity.
• This infrastructure upgrade will reduce vulnerability to external threats and natural calamities, transforming the corridor from an "Achilles' heel" into a resilient artery.

Why It Matters: India is building an underground rail network in the vulnerable Siliguri Corridor to boost connectivity and security.