The threat to the Siliguri corridor (also known as Chicken’s Neck) is perennial as China has continued its overt road and airstrip construction activities on its side of the border. It is a narrow stretch of 22 km of land located in West Bengal. Being the gateway to the north-east India, the Corridor is a hub of rail and road network connecting the Mainland India with the Seven Sister States in the north-east, namely; Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Surendra Institute of Engineering and Management. [23][24][25][26] The Kingdom of Bhutan lies on the northern side of the corridor. Chicken’s Neck nowadays is always on a threat as China constantly making roads and airstrips by the side of the border through which the intention of China is to mobilize rapidly in the region. A quirk of South Asian political geography the Siliguri Corridor has made it quite challenging for New Delhi to effectively integrate the Northeastern states. Because of its appeal as an agricultural village, the Kingdom of Sikkim captured Siliguri making it the southernmost part of their kingdom until the Kingdom of Nepal interfered. Click on the map to display elevation. Siliguri started as a small area i.e. [178] It also has various joy rides like adrenaline junkies, sky train, break dance, go-carting, and artificial bulls. Shorea robusta. Also known as Donglang or Dolam, the plateau belongs to Bhutan. This airport is a major transport hub in the region with flights connecting Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Dibrugarh and has international connectivity with Paro and Bangkok. This riverine trade line was thus used by the Bhutanese and Sikkimese to bring goods into their mainland. The “Chicken’s Neck”, also known as the Siliguri Corridor, is a small area of land that has been the center of a regional controversy in Asia for more than 50 years. The 60-kilometre long and 22-kilometre wide Siliguri Corridor in the Indian state of West Bengal, also known as the “Chicken’s Neck”, connects India’s … And, this issue can never be desirable in India. On an average, Siliguri gets 3340 mm per year. Treaty of Sugauli in 1815 signed between Britain-Nepal, changed the prospect of Siliguri. Sukna is the gateway to this sanctuary, which is 12 km from Siliguri. The location of this corridor has created a political reality that is important for Bangladesh as well. Siliguri Corridor which is 60 km long and 22 km wide in our Incredible India is known as the Chicken’s Neck which connects the North-Eastern states of India with the other parts of our country. If completed, it will shorten the distance for the Chinese army towards India’s strategically vulnerable ‘ Chicken's Neck ’ area—the Siliguri Corridor . Note that the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir is divided between India, China, and Pakistan (the colored areas represent the parts which are not under control of India). [39] Winters are mostly dry, with the summers being rainy. A treaty between India and China for trade through Nathu La Pass, has expedited development and prospects of Siliguri as an international transportation and logistics hub. Warm summer, cool winter and a severe monsoon defines Siliguri's climate. This corridor is spread over a radius of about 22 km. White water rafting is done nearby in the Teesta river. The airport also has regular helicopter services to Gangtok. The humidity in air is high throughout the year. In 1865, the British captured Darjeeling and the entire Dooars region to build tea plantations and export the produce to England. • The 75 kms track will help in connecting the country with the Siliguri corridor which is also known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’. The earliest form of local urban governance as a Sanitation Committee set up in 1915. Actually, this entire corridor is a gateway to the eastern Rajas of India. The Kingdom of Bhutan lies on the northern side of the corridor. Siliguri is located ideally in Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s neck), which is a thin strip of land connecting the Mainland of India with the north east of India. Some of the important sports enthusiast local clubs in Siliguri organise several cricket, football, volleyball, swimming competition, TT matches etc. Importance. Geographically Northeast India is at a slight disadvantage as the connectivity is very limited. The corporation now has 23 departments. The Jaldapara National Park, situated on the banks of the Torsa river, is a prime attraction of Siliguri. [53] According to 2011 census, Bengali is the most commonly spoken language, followed by Hindi, Nepali, Bhojpuri and Urdu. [13][50] Males constitute 51.44% of the population and females 48.55%. The Siliguri Corridor came into being unconstrained after the partition of Bengal in 1947. [156], Indoor sports including table tennis, badminton, taekwon-do, lawn tennis and chess are being played here. The literacy rate in Siliguri is 77.64%. Flanked by four international borders – Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and China – Siliguri is also one of the most heavily protected areas in India. [173] Sed-Gyued monastrey is located near Salugara monastery. The Public Health Engineering Department of the state government is responsible for developing and maintaining the infrastructure for water supply, while the Water Supply department of the corporation provides new connections, supplies water, and collects the user charges. It is located on the banks of the Mahananda River at the foothills of the Himalayas. [169][170] The Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is located 13 km (8.1 mi) away from Siliguri on the foothills of the Himalayas, between Teesta and Mahananda.The sanctuary spans over 159 km2 (61 sq mi) of reserve forest. Siliguri is located in the Terai region ("moist land"), a belt of marshy grasslands and dense tropical deciduous moist forests at the base of Himalaya range which is rich in biodiversity, containing numerous rare species of flora and fauna. Siliguri has now achieved the status of becoming the 2nd largest metropolitan city in West Bengal, after Kolkata. [171], There are some important Hindu and Buddhists monuments in and around the city. [54], The most commonly followed religion in Siliguri is Hinduism, with Islam being the largest minority religion, followed by small percentage of adherents of Christianity and Buddhism. All Right Reserved. These sub-Himalayan forests are the home of various types of wild animals like the elephant, tiger, Indian bison, barking deer, wild pig, monkey, civet, snake, lizard, mountain goat, sambar, chetal and fishing cat. [50][7] There are 154 notified and 31 non-notified slums in Siliguri, with 32% of Siliguri's population staying in them. The region is heavily patrolled by the West Bengal Police, Border Security Force, Indian Army and Assam Rifles. China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. Siliguri: Trafficking and consumption patterns of heroin are also witnessing strong impact of Covid 19 lockdown.The change, as observed by United Nations research study, is now surfacing along Siliguri Corridor.The infamous drug trafficking route that runs through the districts of northern West Bengal with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan or Tibet at stone throw distance. 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