West Bengal’s newly formed government has approved the transfer of seven key national highway stretches to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), marking a major strategic move with implications extending beyond infrastructure development to national security and regional connectivity. Several of these highways pass through the highly sensitive Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the “Chicken’s Neck,” a narrow strip of land that serves as the only land link between mainland India and its eight northeastern states. The corridor, approximately 60 kilometers long and barely 20 to 22 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, is bordered by Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and China’s Tibet region near Sikkim, making it one of India’s most strategically critical transit routes. Security analysts have long emphasized the need for wider, stronger, and more resilient road infrastructure in the region, particularly after the 2017 Doklam standoff with China and repeated landslides that have frequently disrupted access to Sikkim and the Himalayan belt. According to an official statement issued by the West Bengal Chief Secretary’s Office, the state government has granted in-principle approval to transfer seven highway stretches from the Public Works Department’s National Highway wing to NHAI and NHIDCL. The statement added that despite repeated requests from central agencies, the proposal had remained pending for nearly a year, delaying several crucial expansion and modernization projects. The delay had become a major political flashpoint, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) repeatedly accusing the previous Mamata Banerjee-led administration of obstructing critical infrastructure upgrades in the strategically sensitive region. BJP leaders also alleged that illegal cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh had altered the demographic balance in parts of North Bengal, potentially increasing vulnerabilities around the Siliguri Corridor. Following political developments in Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, BJP leaders intensified warnings that anti-India extremist groups could attempt to destabilize or isolate the corridor. Mamata Banerjee, however, consistently maintained that border management falls exclusively under the jurisdiction of the central government. Government officials now believe the transfer decision will accelerate long-pending highway widening, strengthening, and repair works vital for defense logistics, trade, tourism, and regional connectivity. NH-10, a critical route connecting Sikkim, remains particularly vulnerable to monsoon damage and recurring landslides, often disrupting essential supplies to the Himalayan state. Meanwhile, NH-110, which connects Darjeeling, has suffered for years from severe landslides, road collapses, and chronic traffic congestion. Officials stated that the modernization of these seven highway stretches will significantly improve connectivity with Sikkim, Bhutan, and Bangladesh while strengthening transport links across North Bengal, the Dooars, and the Darjeeling hills. The projects are also expected to improve the Bihar-Bengal corridor through Malda and Murshidabad and modernize the key route extending through Murshidabad, Nadia, and North 24 Parganas up to the Ghojadanga Indo-Bangladesh border.
India’s central government is taking control of some key sections of highways near the ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor
