India Approves Construction of Fourth Railway Line Through Siliguri Corridor

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The central government of India has approved the construction of a fourth railway line through the strategically important Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck Corridor). This announcement was made by Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, General Manager of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), during a press conference in Katihar.

The Malda–New Jalpaiguri section is a vital railway link connecting the northeastern states with the rest of India, holding dual significance in terms of security and logistics. Shrivastava stated that this route, previously planned as a third line, has now been approved for the addition of a fourth. Additionally, the approximately 29-kilometer twin-tube underground project between Tinmai Ghat and Bagdogra is another key infrastructure initiative. Given the strategic role of this corridor, the railway authorities have prioritized enhancing its capacity.

Shrivastava noted that the doubling work on the Barsoi section is currently underway, alongside infrastructure expansion in the Katihar division, to meet the continuously growing passenger and freight demand. In the last fiscal year, the Northeast Frontier Railway introduced 42 new trains on various routes and added approximately 250 new halts to improve passenger convenience. The renovation of the New Jalpaiguri station is being expedited, with completion targeted for April 2027.

Regarding connectivity in border and remote areas, new local train services originating from Jogbani, Radhikapur, and Balurghat will be launched at the earliest opportunity. The Northeast Frontier Railway network has achieved 100% electrification, and the next step involves extending the Vande Bharat train services from Guwahati to Tinsukia and Agartala to enhance travel speed and comfort for passengers in the region. The expansion of electric traction will also support higher-frequency services, reducing transit times for both passengers and freight.