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Siliguri<\/strong>: The Central government has approved a new railway project in North Bengal aimed at improving connectivity to strategically important border regions and promoting tourism across the Dooars. The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned a 17-kilometre rail line between Khunia More and Jaldhaka with an estimated investment of Rs 272 crore.<\/p>\n The proposed railway corridor will begin near Chalsa at Khunia More and extend to Jaldhaka, traversing parts of the Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong forest divisions. Once completed, the line is expected to provide improved access to areas located near the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction, while also strengthening transportation infrastructure in the region.<\/p>\n Announcing the development, Siliguri MP Raju Bista said the project marks another important step in expanding railway connectivity across North Bengal. He noted that the new line is expected to make travel easier to destinations such as Bindu, Jhaldhaka and Todey Tangta, which attract visitors for their natural beauty and proximity to the Himalayan border.<\/p>\n According to railway officials, a detailed joint survey involving the Indian Railways and the West Bengal Forest Department will be undertaken after the monsoon to finalise the alignment and assess environmental considerations before construction begins.<\/p>\n Apart from its strategic value, the railway line is expected to stimulate local economic activity by improving transportation facilities for residents, supporting tourism-related businesses and creating better access to remote parts of the Dooars.<\/p>\n Jaldhaka, the endpoint of the proposed line, derives its name from the Jaldhaka River, which originates from Kupup Lake near Jelep La Pass in Sikkim. The river flows through Sikkim, West Bengal, Bhutan and Bangladesh before eventually joining the Brahmaputra, making it an important transboundary river in the eastern Himalayan region.<\/p>\n The approval comes as India continues to strengthen infrastructure in border areas through improved road and rail networks. The proposed Khunia More-Jaldhaka line is expected to complement larger railway expansion plans in the eastern Himalayas, including the future extension of the Sivok-Rangpo railway project towards Nathu La.<\/p>\n The region near the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction has remained strategically significant since the 2017 Doklam standoff, when Indian and Chinese troops faced off for more than two months over road construction in territory claimed by Bhutan. Since then, border infrastructure development has gained increasing importance in India’s long-term strategic planning.<\/p>\n Officials believe the new railway project will serve both civilian and strategic purposes by improving mobility, supporting tourism, strengthening logistics and enhancing connectivity to one of the country’s most sensitive frontier regions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Siliguri: The Central government has approved a new railway project in North Bengal aimed at improving connectivity to strategically important border regions and promoting tourism across the Dooars. The Ministry…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1886,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n