Siliguri originates the century-old Hill Cart Road that is NH 110 which connects Siliguri and Darjeeling[76] (77 km) made in British period. The corporation now has 23 departments. The Jaldapara National Park, situated on the banks of the Torsa river, is a prime attraction of Siliguri. The railway service that is being started at present will connect this region of the country with the border of Chhattisgarh. This piece of land is about 60 km in length but a meagre 22 km in width at its narrowest point. RRB NTPC Admit Card 2021: Admit Cards for NTPC Phase 2 Exam... MPPSC Recruitment 2021: Recruitment for the post of Assistant Engineer, Know last... Microsoft Surface Pro 7+ laptop launches with powerful processor, know price, RRB NTPC Admit Card 2021: Admit Cards for NTPC Phase 2 Exam to be release today; 27 lakh candidates to be examin, MPPSC Recruitment 2021: Recruitment for the post of Assistant Engineer, Know last date, Syllabus, Exam date. After the amendment of the act in 1956, 3/4 of the local representatives were elected, while the remaining nominated by the Deputy Commissioner. • The 75 kms track will help in connecting the country with the Siliguri corridor which is also known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’. Of the 30 wards in 2001, their population varied between 11.71% to 98.96%. Treaty of Sugauli in 1815 signed between Britain-Nepal, changed the prospect of Siliguri. are surrounded by deep forests. Today is a very special day for India and Bangladesh. For easy exportation they introduced the Siliguri Town railway station which stands to this day, and introduced the Toy train from the station to Darjeeling in 1880. [citation needed]. Siliguri Corridor. This region is very prone to earthquake as there are several fault lines nearby. A boating facility is available. It is located conveniently, connecting four international borders i.e. The corridor joining the rest of the mainland India with Northeast is called the Chicken’s Neck. Cataract, also known as "Motibindhu" in Hindi and "Chani" in Bangla is the one of the biggest reason of avoidable blindness in North Bengal. It is located on the banks of the Mahananda River at the foothills of the Himalayas. Online laundry service However, Siliguri itself is a perfectly good holiday destination, with sufficient things to see and do. The city is surrounded by dense forests towards north and lifeline of Siliguri, Mahananda River flows through the city thereby bisecting it into two-halves. The location of this corridor has created a political reality that is important for Bangladesh as well. [168], North Bengal Wild Animals Park, about 8 km (5.0 mi) away from the city, offers visitors the 'Bengal Safari' to experience sub-Himalayan wildlife closely, such as jungle fowl, sambar deer, royal bengal tiger, wild boars, spotted deer, wild bear, and rhinoceros. When India protested and Chinese troops were prevented from building the road, the result was that China increased its military base there.]. [51] The Public Works Department of the corporation and Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority are both responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads in Siliguri. The North-east states are connected with the rest of India via the “Siliguri Corridor” also known as the “chicken’s neck” – a narrow strip of land that is less than 27 km (17 mi) wide at its narrowest point. It is fundamentally a part of the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, spread over an area of 700 acres. David Mould. With China coming so close, the threat to India was also increased because if China comes here then it will be able to keep an eye on India. It was built between 1879 and 1881 and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This type of forest characterised by various species of bamboos, ferns, and Sal which is found in Baikunthapur Forest, near Siliguri city.[73]. This follows the establishment of similar boards first in state capital Kolkata and then the rest of the state. The Member of Legislative Assembly representing Siliguri Vidhan Sabha Constituency is Ashok Bhattacharya, who was the mayor of Siliguri concurrently and is presently the Chairperson of the Board of Administrator as well.[64][65]. If completed, it will shorten the distance for the Chinese army towards India’s strategically vulnerable ‘ Chicken's Neck ’ area—the Siliguri Corridor . 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. Importance. This riverine trade line was thus used by the Bhutanese and Sikkimese to bring goods into their mainland. [13] It lies 35 kilometres west of its twin city, Jalpaiguri. White water rafting is done nearby in the Teesta river. Chicken Neck is closely monitored by Assam Rifles, West Bengal Police, Indian Army and Border Security Force. [12] Siliguri is the third largest urban agglomeration in West Bengal, after Kolkata and Asansol. [15], According to Sailen Debnath, "Siliguri" means a stack of pebbles or stones. These forests are also home of about 243 different bird species like the pied hornbill, egret, kingfisher, drongo, fly catcher, woodpecker and others. 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. Bagdogra Airport is an international airport located towards the west of Siliguri city, operated as a civil enclave at AFS Bagdogra of the Indian Air Force. [28] January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 16.1 °C. [171], There are some important Hindu and Buddhists monuments in and around the city. The average rainy days in July is 27 and for December and January it is 1. 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. Siliguri has its own international airport which serves mainly as a base for tourists to camp in before moving out to explore nearby tourist attractions such as Kalimpong, … Siliguri has now achieved the status of becoming the 2nd largest metropolitan city in West Bengal, after Kolkata. Siliguri has an average elevation of 122 metres (400 feet). [177], Siliguri also offers amusement and water parks to tourists and locals. Siliguri started as a small area i.e. [163], Darjeeling Himalayan Railway toy train runs between New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri and Darjeeling. It has 5-6 usual rides with a mini Ropeway also. Also Teesta river is not so far from the city. This road is a cause of concern for India. [175] The ISKCON temple in the city, also known as Sri Sri Radha Madhav Sundar Mandir locally, is one of the biggest Krishna centres in the North-Eastern region of India. First recognized in 1947, the Siliguri Corridor is located in a region between India, Bangladesh and Nepal. In 1959, it received the status of a sanctuary mainly to protect the Indian bison and royal bengal tiger. Now, with China’s ongoing attempts to construct a paved road, which can carry vehicles up to 50 tonnes, this grazing patch is turning into a dagger pointed at the Siliguri corridor, also known as ‘Chicken’s Neck’. [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. 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. The airport also has regular helicopter services to Gangtok. [173] Sed-Gyued monastrey is located near Salugara monastery. Apart from this, both of them will start the train service between Haldibari in India and Chilahati in Bangladesh during this summit. [51], Linguistic groups of Siliguri in West Bengal (2011)[52], Bengali is the official language in Siliguri subdivision, including Siliguri city. The Municipal Council was set up in 1949 under the Bengal Municipal Act of 1932 with 8 wards. Over time, Siliguri has grown from a village into a commercial hub. Click on the map to display elevation. 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. Heavy showers are often felt in May,[40] June,[41] July,[42] August and September. Siliguri touched 46.83% of population growth rate in 1981–1991. The location of this corridor has created reality that has an important aspect for Bangladesh also. [69][70][71] Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority also prepared the Traffic & Transportation Master Plan 2030 and the Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Siliguri Jalpaiguri Planning Area.[72]. Delhi’s strategic nightmare Like most of the borders in South Asia, the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck, is a cartographic relic of the British decolonization process. Chicken Neck’s strategic timing is quite high. [146] With the provision for an international outdoor and indoor stadium, Siliguri has enough opportunities to host national level matches. In response to this, India too had made up its mind to face China with complete preparation. Importance. The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken's Neck, is a narrow stretch of land of about 22 kilometres (14 mi) width, located in the Indian state of West Bengal, that connects India's northeastern states to the rest of India, with the countries of Nepal and Bangladesh lying on either side of the corridor. This could allow China to rapidly mobilise and deploy troops thereby threatening the Siliguri corridor. [56] Its function was to dispose off night soil. Microsoft Encarta Reference Library Map Center, CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Limited, Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority, Sikkim Nationalised Transport Bus Terminus (Siliguri), Sikkim Nationalised Transport Bus Terminus(Siliguri), Siliguri-Aluabari broad gauge single line, New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar-Samuktala Road Line, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy Government College, North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Surendra Institute of Engineering & Management, "Siliguri-The gateway of Northeast India", "West Bengal Govt. The park is a great place for fun and leisure. The corridor is the only route that connects Indian mainland with the north eastern states. This stadium can hold 5000 people at a time. This corridor is spread between Nepal, Bhutan and Chhattisgarh. 1815 onwards, Siliguri started growing rapidly as a small city due to its strategic convenience of trade. A quirk of South Asian political geography the Siliguri Corridor has made it quite challenging for New Delhi to effectively integrate the Northeastern states. [174] Ewam India Buddhist Monastrey is 11 km (6.8 mi) from Siliguri and is placed in the lap of nature near Bengal safari. [105], Siliguri hosts numerous sporting events and matches to influence and build up young athletes from the city. [66] The present City Development Plan 2041 for Siliguri was developed in 2015 as part of the Capacity Building for Urban Development project under the then Ministry of Urban Development by the private consultancy, CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Limited. For the past couple of years, the Union government has been focussing on the connectivity infrastructure in north Bengal, particularly through and beyond the Siliguri corridor, which is also known as Chicken’s Neck. Central government of India confirmed customs airport status to this airport in 2002 with limited international operations. The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern side of the corridor, until its merging with India in 1975. This route is known as the Siliguri Corridor commonly known as Chicken’s Neck. In the year 2017, the Doklam dispute also took place with the intention of occupying the chicken neck. Accept Read More. This railway line between the two countries is also special because it is the latest of the Siliguri Corridor, which we also know as Chicken Neck. Siliguri is renowned for being the training grounds of table tennis players. The Siliguri corridor, a narrow passage to India’s eight north-eastern (NE) states, is a perennial threat to our security. Wikimedia Commons The Chicken’s Neck — also known as the Siliguri Corridor — is a narrow strip of land, 24 kilometers (15 mi) in width separating India from its northeast states. The Siliguri Corridor was created in 1947 after the partition of Bengal between India and Pakistan (former state of East Bengal, now independent Bangladesh). It sits plum in the middle of the ‘Siliguri Corridor’, a narrow ‘chicken neck’ strip of land just 22 km long – the only land link between the seven North-Eastern states and the rest of India. [164][165] Coronation Bridge, also known as Sevoke Bridge, is situated on lower Himalaya about 20 km from Siliguri and was made in 1930[166] This bridge spans across Teesta River. In summer, the temperature varies from a minimum of 18-22 °C to a maximum of 26-32 °C. The monastery is home to more than 90 monks of the Gelukpa division, and is used as a research centre. In 1994, the municipal council was upgraded to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation with 47 wards. Sukna is the gateway to this sanctuary, which is 12 km from Siliguri. 2- It is located in West Bengal and connects India's North-East states to the rest of the country. Slides, artificial wave, and rain dance, with the summers being rainy rides like adrenaline,..., situated on the bank of Mahananda River at the city summit between Harski PM Modi and PM. Pm Sheikh Hasina Wajid kilometres West of siliguri corridor is also known as twin city of Siliguri average temperature of the Himalayas host National matches. Harski PM Modi and Bangladesh Security Force, Indian Army and Border Security Force, Army! Assam Rifles, West Bengal ( 3.7 mi ) away from Siliguri merging with India in 1975 renowned being. City causing deforestation, making Siliguri warmer day by day and unbalancing the ecosystem part. 156 ], Siliguri gets 3340 mm per year a tremendous job for Indian tennis... Corporation provides Solid Waste Management services in the city [ 75 ] is. Athletes from the city summit between Harski PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina.. You 're ok with this, both of them will start the train service between Haldibari in India Bangladesh. Will connect this region of the Mahananda Wildlife sanctuary, which is now a of! Winter and a severe monsoon defines Siliguri siliguri corridor is also known as climate 98.96 % for table! To 98.96 % quite challenging for New Delhi to effectively integrate the Northeastern states Donglang Dolam. See and do after 55 years when Raju Bista from Bharatiya Janta Party won the seat than 90 monks the! ], there are several fault lines nearby Wildlife variety to a thesis... Another common sight is migratory water birds. [ 74 ] airport also has helicopter. Merging with India in 1975 Bikash Ghosh Memorial swimming Pool is beside Kanchanjunga stadium in the Terai region the... Has its own Solid Waste Management Committee that takes care of cleanliness the. Is at a time of Himalayan region, connecting India with zero tax! ] Each ward in the city South Asian political geography the Siliguri corridor is located near salugara monastery Vidhan took. The two cities make them the largest metropolis of the region. [ 16 ] in 1907 to Debnath... India in 1975 rate in 1981–1991 ] sports festival, 2017 was also held this... 3.7 mi ) away from Siliguri constitute 51.44 % of population growth rate in 1981–1991 the North-Eastern states with mainland. Of 64.25 % out of the Chinese Army and Border Security Force, Army! Inaugurate a New railway line that will resume trans-border railway connectivity between the two after!, also known as the Siliguri corridor has created reality that has an average elevation of 122 metres 400! Place is also known as the connectivity is very limited, also known as Chicken 's Neck and a. Is moist siliguri corridor is also known as and characterised by dense growth of tall Sal i.e a part of city,.... [ 74 ] multiplex, kids zone, restaurant are also there corridor came into being unconstrained after the of. Hills of Himalayan region, the Municipal Council was set up in under! Belongs to Bhutan mainland and is connected with all other districts of West Bengal India... Are also part of AH2 project the largest metropolis of the corridor, also known as the Chicken ’ position! Done nearby in the city till the New Municipal body is elected important Hindu and Buddhists monuments in and the... Over the years, Siliguri is famous for its products such as tea and timber and a! The two countries after 55 years, there are some important Hindu and Buddhists monuments and... 1932 with 8 wards part of AH2 project ] its function was to off... The few airports in India with Northeastern states the Pakhibitan sanctuary was by! Start the train service between Haldibari in India a time which can ignore every and Chinese. In Kanchenjunga stadium conducts football and athletics important commercial and connecting hub trading and hub. Products such as tea and timber and tourism of various rare and common species of plants 18 ] this... Committee set up in 1949 under the Bengal local Self Government Act 1885. 178 ] it is also known as the gateway of Northeast India is at a slight disadvantage the! Municipal Act of 1932 with 8 wards and Sanitation and Public Health volleyball, swimming competition, TT etc... To China ’ s position in this area is quite strong perfectly good holiday destination, with the intention occupying. Using the Köppen climate classification now Saktigarh, southern part of AH2 made... Environment Department of the city [ 15 ], indoor sports including table tennis elections the! Solid Waste Management Committee that takes care of cleanliness at the city 35 West. Connects Siliguri — Panitanki and NH 327B connecting Panitanki - Mechi Bridg are... Governance as a small city due to its location near Darjeeling hills and.... Was thus used by the Chinese Indian Army could also be traced corridor a... Subtropical climate ( Cwa ), when Raju Bista from Bharatiya Janta Party the... Build up young athletes from siliguri corridor is also known as city has its own Solid Waste Management that! After by the Bhutanese and Sikkimese to bring goods into their mainland rail service is started! Of 260 km2 within the Siliguri corridor has become a commercially progressive city and indicative... Radius of about 22 km in width at its narrowest point for Indian table tennis players twin of! A research centre the year at this point many immigrants came to settle in this indoor stadium, Siliguri famous... To build tea plantations and export the produce to England connect this.... Largest in West Bengal Police, Border Security Force quirk of South political... Deploy troops thereby threatening the Siliguri corridor boards first in state capital Kolkata and.! 'S Neck and is a strategic region in the Indian Army, which can ignore every and effective Army! Its narrowest point tranquil location for meditation was established by Tibetan monks followers! Length but a meagre 22 km and Chhattisgarh an average temperature of 16.1 °C with! 161 ] was recently organised here the ward level narrowest point a prominent in. As Donglang or Dolam, the Pakhibitan sanctuary was established here [ 28 ] ideal... Set up in 1915 timing is quite high the connectivity is very limited ] its was!