India is set to construct the Khunia More to Jaldhaka railway line, a newly sanctioned 17-kilometer rail link in North Bengal estimated to cost ₹272 crore. The route will originate from Khunia More near Chalsa and pass through the Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong forest divisions. The new rail link will significantly improve connectivity and boost tourism in the Jaldhaka Bindu Todey Tangta region.
Strategic Importance for the India-China-Bhutan Tri-Junction
In a major development, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista announced in a social media post that the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned around Rs 272 crore for the new 17-km line to Jaldhaka. “Happy to share that the Ministry of Railways has sanctioned around Rs 272 crore for a new 17km line to Jaldhaka. The route will originate from Khunia More near Chalsa, and pass through Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong forest divisions,” the MP wrote on X. “The rail link will improve connectivity to the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction and boost tourism in the Jaldhaka-Bindu-Todey Tangta area,” he added.
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Border Infrastructure and Ecological Significance
The Jaldhaka River is a 186- to 233-kilometer-long transboundary river flowing through Sikkim and West Bengal in India, as well as Bhutan and Bangladesh. Originating from Kupup (Bitang) Lake near the Jelep La pass in Sikkim, it ultimately empties into the Brahmaputra River. “Indian Railways and the West Bengal Forest Department will carry out a joint survey after the monsoon for the proposed new line,” the MP stated. The railway line carries high strategic significance, as the Jaldhaka River originates from a lake located near the Doklam tri-junction border between India, Bhutan, and China. The area gained heightened importance during the 2017 Doklam border standoff, when Indian troops intervened to halt Chinese road construction in territory claimed by Bhutan.
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Shamshad Ali is a New Delhi–based journalist with over six years of experience spanning breaking news writing, on-the-ground reporting, and editing. When he isn’t chasing headlines, Shamshad is usually exploring new destinations, discovering hidden culinary gems, and striking up conversations with strangers. Many of whom turn out to be great sources, and even better friends. He can be reached at shamshadali.dar@gmail.com.
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