India has stopped nearly Rs 5,000 crore worth of funding and construction on important railway projects in Bangladesh. This decision is due to concerns about the ongoing "political turmoil" and the "safety of workers," according to a report from The Hindu BusinessLine.

These projects were launched to improve connections between mainland India and the seven northeastern states by using routes through Bangladesh. But because of increasing unrest and security concerns in Bangladesh, Indian authorities are now looking at other possible routes through nearby countries like Nepal and Bhutan. At the same time, they are also working on improving infrastructure within India, especially around the strategically important Siliguri Corridor, which is also known as the "Chicken's Neck." Three railway projects have been suspended: the Akhaura–Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link, the Khulna–Mongla Port Rail Line, and the Dhaka–Tongi–Joydebpur rail expansion. In addition to these, surveys for five other planned railway routes have also been paused, according to The Hindu BusinessLine.

Indian railway authorities are speeding up plans to double or even quadruple the number of railway tracks in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar — two important regions connected to the Siliguri Corridor. A senior railway official told The Hindu BusinessLine that surveys for these expansion projects have already started. 

India is looking at developing new railway routes through Nepal and Bhutan, using current agreements like the India–Nepal rail deal and taking advantage of Bhutan’s close location to India’s northeast. Although these new routes may have some practical difficulties, they could help India rely less on Bangladesh for regional rail links, providing a safer and more dependable option.