Chicken's Neck

The Chicken's Neck or Siliguri Corridor is a narrow stretch of land which connects India's north-eastern states to the rest of India. This 'isthmus' of land is only 24 km in width, with the countries of Nepal and Bangladesh lying on either side of the corridor.

The city of Siliguri, which lies in the state of West Bengal, is the major city in this area (therefore the alternate name "Siliguri Corridor"). The city is the central node which connects Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, north-east India and mainland India.

The Chicken's Neck was created in 1947 after the state of Bengal was partitioned between India and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). This strip was drawn on the map to allow India access to the state of Assam. Being a sensitive area amidst four countries, the strip is heavily patrolled by the Indian army, the Assam Rifles, the Border Security Force and the the West Bengal police. In recent times the area has become the focus of illegal crossings between Bangladesh rebels and Nepali Maoist insurgents, both in search of refuge from their government forces. A flourishing narcotics and weapons traffic also takes place in this region.

All land transportation between India and its far eastern states have to make use of this circuitous corridor as free trade between Bangladesh and India has yet to be made a reality. The route has a major broad gauge railway line in addition to the old metre gauge line which connects the north-eastern states with India. National Highway 31 connects Siliguri to Guwahati in Assam which is the most critical highway in the region, owing to the insurgents in the vicinity. Often insurgents in Assam bomb the railway line to excide the state from the rest of India.

In recent times Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh have proposed to set up the area as a free trade zone which would enable all three countries to connect directly with each other without restrictions.