The West Bengal government led by CM Suvendu Adhikari has begun the process of transferring 120 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) in the highly sensitive Chicken’s Neck corridor in North Bengal. Along with this, the state government has also approved the transfer of several important National Highway stretches to central agencies in a move aimed at strengthening security and infrastructure in one of India’s most strategically important regions.

The Chicken’s Neck, officially known as the Siliguri Corridor, is a narrow strip of land barely 22 kilometres wide at some points. It connects mainland India to all eight northeastern states and lies dangerously close to Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. Because of its location and geography, the corridor has always been viewed as a strategic pressure point for India’s national security.

The land transfer to the BSF is expected to speed up border fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border and improve surveillance and defence preparedness in the area. The process has already started, showing the new Bengal government’s focus on strengthening this vulnerable corridor that acts as India’s lifeline to the Northeast.

At the same time, the BJP government in Bengal has moved forward with the approval for handing over seven key National Highway stretches from the state Public Works Department to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL). According to reports, five of these crucial highway stretches pass directly through the Chicken’s Neck region.

These include major strategic routes such as the Sevoke-Kalimpong-Sikkim border route on NH-10, the Siliguri-Kurseong-Darjeeling road, the Hasimara-Jaigaon route leading towards the Bhutan border, and the Changrabandha stretch near the Bangladesh border. These roads are not only important for civilian travel and trade but are also critical for military movement and supply chains.

NH10, which serves as the primary road connection to Sikkim, and NH110, which connects Darjeeling, have remained vulnerable for years due to landslides, heavy rainfall, road collapses, and frequent disruptions. During monsoon seasons, large parts of these highways often become inaccessible, affecting supplies, tourism, transport, and emergency services. In difficult situations, disruptions in these routes can isolate important regions from the rest of the country.

An official press note issued from the office of the Chief Secretary highlighted the broader significance of these projects. “Taken together, these seven stretches strengthen connectivity to Sikkim, Bhutan and Bangladesh, link the Darjeeling hills, the Dooars and North Bengal with the national highway network, improve the Bihar-Bengal corridor through Malda and Murshidabad, and upgrade the road spine running through Murshidabad, Nadia and North 24-Parganas up to the Indo-Bangladesh border at Ghojadanga,” The Telegraph quoted from a official press note issued by the office of Chief Secretary.

The decision marks a major policy shift because these land transfer proposals had reportedly remained pending for a long period during the previous Trinamool Congress government. The latest approvals are now expected to accelerate long-delayed projects involving road widening, highway repairs, and infrastructure upgrades that are considered essential for defence logistics, economic movement, tourism growth, and rapid military deployment in the region.

Why the Siliguri Corridor Holds Massive Strategic Importance

The Siliguri Corridor is not just another highway zone or transit route. It is India’s only narrow land bridge connecting the northeastern states with the rest of the country. Any disruption in this corridor can directly impact connectivity to the Northeast, making it one of the most sensitive strategic locations in India.

For decades, defence planners and security experts have viewed the corridor as extremely vulnerable because of its close proximity to hostile or sensitive international borders. China lies to the north, Bangladesh to the east, Nepal to the west, and Bhutan nearby. This makes the region strategically exposed in times of conflict or instability.

The corridor has also faced ideological and extremist threats in the past. Radical elements and separatist supporters have openly spoken about targeting the Chicken’s Neck to cut off the Northeast from mainland India. Sharjeel Imam, who was arrested in connection with inflammatory speeches during the anti-CAA protests, had earlier made controversial remarks referring to blocking the corridor to isolate the Northeast from the rest of the country.

Because of these concerns, stronger central control over infrastructure and security in the region is being seen as an important step. With the Centre now directly overseeing critical road and border infrastructure projects, authorities are expected to strengthen defence preparedness, surveillance systems, transport networks, railway connectivity, and logistics hubs across the region.

The Northeast is also expected to benefit economically from improved infrastructure in the corridor. Faster highways, stronger road networks, and better logistics can improve trade routes, tourism, movement of goods, and implementation of India’s larger Act East policy goals.

The Siliguri Corridor’s narrow geography has repeatedly exposed its vulnerabilities over the years. The 2017 Doklam standoff between India and China once again brought attention to how strategically exposed the region remains. Security experts had then stressed the urgent need for stronger roads and faster military mobility in the area. Frequent landslides on NH10 and NH110 have further reinforced concerns about how fragile the connectivity remains during natural disasters or emergencies.

The move to transfer these highways to central agencies is expected to help speed up long-pending work that was often delayed due to administrative and political disagreements. Reports suggest that proposals regarding highway and land transfers had remained pending for nearly a year during the previous Trinamool Congress administration despite repeated requests from central agencies. The BJP had criticised these delays and argued that strategic and national security interests were being compromised.

The newly formed BJP-led state administration cleared the approvals soon after taking office, signalling a closer alignment with the Centre on strategic infrastructure priorities in North Bengal and the Northeast.

With agencies such as NHAI and NHIDCL now expected to directly manage several of these projects, work on repairing damaged roads, expanding highway capacity, improving drainage systems, and reducing landslide risks may move faster than before. Authorities believe these developments can significantly strengthen defence logistics, improve civilian travel, support tourism, and ensure that the Northeast remains connected to the rest of India even during difficult weather conditions or security situations.