Centre Approves Rs 2,077 Crore for 31 Km Four-Lane Highway in Siliguri Corridor
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the new highway will be developed as National Highway 327 and will run parallel to a stretch of the arterial NH27, maintaining a distance of around 20-30 km from the existing highway.
The project will strengthen road connectivity through the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the Chicken’s Neck, which provides the key land link between the Northeast and the rest of the country. The corridor is bordered by Nepal and Bangladesh and lies close to Bhutan and China.
The four-laning of NH327 is expected to decongest Bagdogra, Naxalbari, Kharibari and Panitanki, while improving connectivity to Bagdogra airport and other regional centres. The highway will also facilitate faster movement of agricultural, horticultural, tea and other local produce to larger markets.
The project includes three major bridges, one road overbridge, five elephant underpasses and service roads on both sides of the highway.
The five elephant underpasses are planned along sections passing through the Kurseong forest division, where several locations have been identified as elephant crossing zones. The dedicated passages are aimed at reducing the risk of elephant-vehicle collisions along the highway.
The project assumes strategic significance as the Centre continues to strengthen infrastructure and connectivity in the Siliguri Corridor. Other infrastructure initiatives in the region include a proposed high-speed railway corridor between Varanasi and New Jalpaiguri, a 35-km underground railway track near Siliguri and a fourth railway track between Malda and New Jalpaiguri.
The highway will also improve access between North Bengal and the Northeast while supporting the movement of goods and people through the region.
Published on:
04 September 2026
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