Fact Check: Centre Debunks Viral Claim On New Union Territory Near Siliguri Corridor

The Government of India has dismissed viral social media claims suggesting that the Centre is planning to create a new Union Territory by combining districts from Bihar and West Bengal located near the strategically significant Siliguri Corridor.

The government’s official fact-checking agency, the Press Information Bureau (PIB), issued the clarification and described the circulating posts as false and misleading.

In a message on the social media platform X, the PIB stated that claims about the formation of a new Union Territory in the region have no factual basis and clarified that the information circulating online is fake.

The PIB said there is no proposal under consideration to create such a Union Territory and urged citizens to rely only on verified information. It also advised the public to check official sources before sharing claims online.

Social media posts alleged that the Centre would merge districts from Bihar, including Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar, and West Bengal’s Malda and Uttar Dinajpur to form a new Union Territory to strengthen security around the Siliguri Corridor.

Often called India’s ‘Chicken’s Neck’, the Siliguri Corridor is a narrow stretch of land in northern West Bengal that connects mainland India with the northeastern states.

Though only about 20–22 km wide at its narrowest point, it is a crucial economic, transport and strategic lifeline for the region.