The Chicken's neck of India is the siliguri corridor situated in West Bengal,India.The corridor is so named because of its shape(in Indian map) which resembles the neck of a chicken.It is a narrow stretch of land which connects the North-east India with the Indian mainland.
Although the corridor is a narrow mass of land,it has immense economic and strategic relevance for India.A single railway line passes through the corridor connecting the two regions,apart from the roadways.Most of the goods and Public Distribution System(PDS) are transported through trains,thereby making the railways an important mode of transport.All the passenger trains have to necessarily pass through this narrow strip to move from one region to another.
Strategically,the corridor is sandwiched between Nepal,Bhutan and Bangladesh.At one place,the corridor is just 24 kilometres wide separating Nepal and Bangladesh.After the 1962 Indo-China war,India faced the risk of hightened security concerns from China due to the boundary disputes with China.However,in 2003,when China officially considered Sikkim as an integral part of Indian territory,much of its security fears were addressed.Yet,the narrow corridor could be misused for drug smuggling and infiltration of illegal migrants if strict vigilance is not maintained.
The rugged topography in the region and severities of climate(the downpour is maximum in North-East due to South-West monsoon) has rendered the corridor utter vulnerable to natural disasters.During heavy rains,landslides do occur which could halt the trade and communication entirely,resulting in price rise of essential commodities.Moreover,the rapid-flowing rivers in the region changes its course frequently creating hardships for the people settled around the region.
Trade and economic development is vital for the overall growth of North-eastern region.Only 2 percent of its landmass is connected with the mainland India,while 98 percent of its landmass borders nations like China,Myanmar and Bangladesh.Therefore.it is imperative that there is increased trade links with North-East India.The NF railway should renew its ties with Myanmar and Bangladesh.Additional railway lines should be constructed bypassing the existing railway line.India should sign a free trade agreement with its south Asian and south-east Asian neighbours enabling the trade of goods across these countries.India has agreed upon a multi-modal transport linking India with its neighbours in the BIMSTEC meet.India should,in no time,start implementing the project in co-ordination with its neighbors and stake-holders.
Although the corridor is a narrow mass of land,it has immense economic and strategic relevance for India.A single railway line passes through the corridor connecting the two regions,apart from the roadways.Most of the goods and Public Distribution System(PDS) are transported through trains,thereby making the railways an important mode of transport.All the passenger trains have to necessarily pass through this narrow strip to move from one region to another.Strategically,the corridor is sandwiched between Nepal,Bhutan and Bangladesh.At one place,the corridor is just 24 kilometres wide separating Nepal and Bangladesh.After the 1962 Indo-China war,India faced the risk of hightened security concerns from China due to the boundary disputes with China.However,in 2003,when China officially considered Sikkim as an integral part of Indian territory,much of its security fears were addressed.Yet,the narrow corridor could be misused for drug smuggling and infiltration of illegal migrants if strict vigilance is not maintained.
The rugged topography in the region and severities of climate(the downpour is maximum in North-East due to South-West monsoon) has rendered the corridor utter vulnerable to natural disasters.During heavy rains,landslides do occur which could halt the trade and communication entirely,resulting in price rise of essential commodities.Moreover,the rapid-flowing rivers in the region changes its course frequently creating hardships for the people settled around the region.
Trade and economic development is vital for the overall growth of North-eastern region.Only 2 percent of its landmass is connected with the mainland India,while 98 percent of its landmass borders nations like China,Myanmar and Bangladesh.Therefore.it is imperative that there is increased trade links with North-East India.The NF railway should renew its ties with Myanmar and Bangladesh.Additional railway lines should be constructed bypassing the existing railway line.India should sign a free trade agreement with its south Asian and south-east Asian neighbours enabling the trade of goods across these countries.India has agreed upon a multi-modal transport linking India with its neighbours in the BIMSTEC meet.India should,in no time,start implementing the project in co-ordination with its neighbors and stake-holders.
Bangladesh has temporarily declared Ashuganj, 54 km from Agartala, as 'port of call' to facilitate India to transport rice to Tripura.Last year FCI ferried 10000 tonnes of rice from Andhra Pradesh under a similar arrangement with Bangladesh.
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