Bengal clears perpetual transfer of 54.2 acres of land to fortify ‘Chicken’s Neck’
Times of India | 4 July 2026
Kolkata: The Bengal cabinet on Thursday, chaired by CM Suvendu Adhikari, decided to hand over nearly 54.2 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on a perpetual transfer basis. The decision aims to strengthen border infrastructure in the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the “Chicken’s Neck”.
In an official statement, the state govt said: “The cabinet approved proposal for perpetual transfer of 54.2485 acres of govt-vested land in different districts (Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur, Malda) in favour of Border Security Force and Sashastra Seema Bal, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India for various purposes like construction of Border Out Post, Border Fencing, Road etc.”
In its first meeting on May 11, the state cabinet had decided to transfer nearly 600 acres of land to BSF within a 45-day timeline.
Adhikari said out of the 2,217-km border with Bangladesh, around 600km remains unfenced. The CM emphasised that his administration wanted fencing along these stretches, even though several parts of the border are riverine.
Adhikari also pointed out how the previous Trinamool govt repeatedly delayed handing over land to the BSF, despite multiple pleas from the Union home secretary. Earlier in June, Nabanna decided to hand over 32 acres of land permanently to the BSF for border fencing and security purposes, mostly in north Bengal, a senior official said.
The official added that the 54.2-acre land parcel will be transferred on a perpetual basis without affecting civilian habitations and will be restricted to security-related establishments and border infrastructure.
The cabinet’s decision is also aimed at facilitating the expansion of operational and logistical infrastructure for the two Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) battalions deployed along the international borders in north Bengal.
The “Chicken’s Neck” is strategically vulnerable as it is a barely 22-km-wide strip of land in Bengal, serving as the sole link connecting mainland India to its eight northeastern states and acting as a vital conduit for military logistical support.
Bordering Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh and overshadowed by China, the Siliguri Corridor is critical to national security. Any disruption to this corridor could jeopardise the country’s integrity, as it has the potential to completely sever surface connectivity to the entire Northeast, making the area a primary focus for India’s security agencies.
BSF guards the India-Bangladesh border in the region, while SSB is responsible for securing the India-Nepal frontier. Over the years, both forces have sought additional land for camps, accommodation, training facilities and logistical hubs to improve operational readiness amid evolving security challenges. Additionally, BSF remains heavily involved in combating cross-border smuggling, illegal migration and transnational crimes.