West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday, 1 October 2026, thanked the Central government for sanctioning a ₹1,175.59 crore bridge project over the Teesta River at Sevoke — a 6.91-km, six-lane crossing that officials say will transform connectivity across the strategically critical Siliguri Corridor. The sanction comes under the road transport ministry and has been welcomed across party lines as a long-overdue infrastructure upgrade for North Bengal.

What the Project Entails

The proposed bridge will span 6.91 km with six lanes, running across the Teesta at Sevoke on National Highway-10. Once completed, it will serve as a modern alternative to the Coronation Bridge, a colonial-era structure commissioned in 1941 that has long been the primary crossing on this stretch. The project is designed to handle significantly higher volumes of both passenger and freight traffic, addressing bottlenecks that have constrained movement toward Sikkim and the broader North-East for decades.

Strategic Importance of the Siliguri Corridor

The Siliguri Corridor — commonly called the Chicken Neck — is India's narrow land link to its eight north-eastern states, making it one of the most geopolitically and logistically sensitive stretches in the country. Any upgrade to infrastructure here carries outsized national significance. Chief Minister Adhikari, in a social media post, noted that 'the ecological demands of the terrain' made a high-capacity, durable Teesta crossing a 'necessity' rather than a luxury. Upgradation of NH-10, he said, would 'ensure smoother passenger and freight transit, strengthen regional supply chains towards North Bengal, Sikkim and the entire North-Eastern India.'

Economic Dividend for North Bengal

A state cabinet member said the government is actively coordinating with the Centre to fast-track infrastructure development in North Bengal, a region they described as long-neglected. The minister outlined an economic vision centred on the 'Triple T' framework — tea, timber, and tourism — arguing that durable road and bridge infrastructure is a prerequisite for unlocking each of these sectors. The bridge project, the official said, is 'a major milestone on this count.' According to the Chief Minister, the project will also 'open new avenues of economic development for local communities.'

Government's Commitment and Next Steps

Chief Minister Adhikari expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for clearing the project. 'We deeply appreciate this cooperative federal effort and reaffirm our commitment to facilitating all necessary on-ground support to see this project completed expeditiously,' Adhikari said. The project had reportedly been in the pipeline for a considerable period before receiving central sanction. With the formal approval now in place, the focus shifts to tendering, environmental clearances, and construction timelines — all of which will determine when the corridor actually benefits from the new crossing.