Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said plans are underway to lay underground railway tracks along a 40-km strategic corridor in West Bengal’s Siliguri stretch, popularly known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’, to strengthen connectivity between the North-East and the rest of India.The corridor is critical for logistics as well as national security, serving as the only land link between mainland India and the northeastern states.Addressing mediapersons via video-conference on the Union Budget allocation for the Railway Ministry, Vaishnaw said, “There is special planning for the 40-km strategic corridor connecting the North-East with the rest of the country. Planning is underway to lay underground railway tracks and also to expand the existing tracks to four lines.”Meanwhile, agencies quoting a Northeast Frontier Railway official said the underground section would run between Tin Mile Haat and Rangapani railway stations in West Bengal. “This underground stretch is crucial from a security perspective,” the official added.Recently, Home Minister Amit Shah issued a strong warning against any challenge to India’s territorial integrity, stating that the Siliguri Corridor was an integral part of India and beyond any threat or interference.The Siliguri Corridor is a narrow 20-22 km-wide stretch in West Bengal that often draws attention due to its strategic, military and geopolitical sensitivity, as it connects mainland India to the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.