Explained: What is Siliguri Corridor and why it is significant in context of Tawang?

New Delhi: Amidst the Indo-China border tensions and Twang clash, a debate regarding border security and Siliguri Corridor has emerged again. As per some reports, China is expanding its chain of model villages close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including in the Chumbi valley which faces the strategically crucial Siliguri corridor.

There has been tension on India’s border in the northeast as it shares 88 per cent of the boundaries internationally in the region. The region has seen war, immigration, NRC and China’s border expansion. Its connectivity with Tawang has made it a matter of discussion as the opposition raises questions about the clash.

What is Siliguri Corridor?

The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s neck, is a narrow stretch,  just 17 km wide, of land located in West Bengal, that connects the northeastern states to the rest of India. The corridor has borders connected to Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, whereas it connects the northeast via Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Terai areas in West Bengal.

The Siliguri Corridor has been a strategically important and vulnerable region. The BSF, Indo-China Border Police and even Assam Rifles have been guarding the corridor for India.

Why is Siliguri Corridor significant?

The corridor has a significant road and rail network that connects West Bengal to eight northeastern states. It has become a vulnerable area since Bengal’s partition in colonial times and the 1971 war that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Strategically, the rail networks in Chicken’s neck give access to the LAC to the Indian armed forces. Different rail links emerge from the New Jalpaiguri railway station, which connects the three important military formations located opposite China. From the NJP station, a rail link moves towards Guwahati and from here a road network moves towards the strategically important Tawang town in Arunachal Pradesh.