NEW DELHI: In a strategic move, the border guarding forces are set to play a pivotal role in fortifying the security of the critically important Siliguri Corridor, known as the Chicken’s Neck, during peacetime. The initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy to bolster defence and safeguard the Siliguri Corridor, which has been divided into Vulnerable Areas and Vulnerable Points.
During peacetime, personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will be deployed across designated areas. The Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which fall under the administrative and operational jurisdiction of the MHA, will assume responsibility at these specified VAVPs, sources said. These forces have historically managed borders with neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and China.
While some actions have already been taken, additional measures are anticipated for the future, sources indicated. The Siliguri Corridor, a narrow stretch adjoining Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, measuring about 170x60km, and at its narrowest, around 20-22km, holds tremendous geopolitical importance. Functioning as a crucial link connecting the northeast of India with the rest of the country, it accommodates major national highways, railway lines, pipelines, optical fibre connectivity, and more.
Its significance is amplified due to its proximity to China’s Chumbi Valley in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The urgency to bolster defences in this region was catalyzed by the 2017 Doklam standoff, during which the Chinese PLA attempted to construct a road closer to the sensitive Siliguri Corridor. The impetus for reinforcing security has also been spurred by heightened deployments along the LAC since May 2022.