Himanta Biswa Sarma calls for underground routes below 'chicken neck', proposes road via Bhutan

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has emphasized the need for enhanced infrastructure in the strategically sensitive Chicken’s Neck corridor, advocating for underground roads and railway tracks to safeguard connectivity between Northeast India and the rest of the country.

Highlighting the vulnerability of the Siliguri Corridor, CM Sarma stated that the region has often been the focal point of political debates and has even been exploited by anti-social elements.

"The Chicken Neck has always been the focal point of discussion among political dialogues, and also anti-social elements have been blackmailed. I will urge the Indian Government to construct underground roads and railway tracks below the Chicken Neck, and in the future, by bypassing the Chicken Neck, a road via Bhutan should be drafted in the near future," he said.

His remarks underscore growing concerns over the strategic security of the Northeast and the necessity of alternative routes to ensure uninterrupted connectivity. 

Sarma’s suggestion of utilizing Bhutan for an alternative passage adds a new dimension to India's regional connectivity strategy.

Also Read: Himanta Biswa Sarma condemns Bangladesh’s ‘landlocked northeast’ claim as offensive

The call for infrastructural expansion, including underground transport networks, aligns with ongoing efforts to fortify the region’s transport links and reduce dependence on the narrow and vulnerable Siliguri Corridor. 

Earlier in the day, Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed the neighbouring "so-called interim government" of Bangladesh as "offensive and strongly condemnable" for a remark referring to Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as its guardian of ocean access. 

Taking to his official X handle, CM Sarma informed that a recent statement by Md Younis of the Bangladesh interim government referred to Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as its guardian of ocean access. 

"The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh's so-called interim Government, referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable," he wrote on X.

Condemning the remark, the chief minister said that it underscores India’s territorial integrity but also highlights the strategic vulnerability of the “Chicken’s Neck” corridor, connecting the Northeast to the mainland.