Fourth Rail Line Approved in Siliguri Corridor

Key facts

• The Centre approved a fourth railway line through the strategically important 'Chicken's Neck' corridor.
• 'Chicken's Neck', also known as the Siliguri Corridor, is a narrow stretch about 20-22 km wide and nearly 60 km long in north Bengal.
• The Siliguri Corridor connects the northeastern states with the rest of India.
• Northeast Frontier Railway General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava said the Malda-New Jalpaiguri section is a crucial rail corridor connecting the Northeast with other parts of the country.
• Approval was accorded for a fourth line on the Malda-New Jalpaiguri section, where a third line had earlier been proposed.
• A nearly 29-km double-line underground project between Tinmai Ghat and Bagdogra is also part of the railway infrastructure initiative.
• Doubling work in the Barsoi section is underway, and infrastructure is being expanded across the Katihar division.
• Redevelopment of New Jalpaiguri station is expected to be completed by April 2027.
• New local train services are planned from Jogbani, Radhikapur, and Balurghat.
• The Northeast Frontier Railway network has achieved 100% electrification, and Vande Bharat services are planned beyond Guwahati to Tinsukia and Agartala.