Nine years after the Doklam military standoff highlighted the need for rapid troop movement in the eastern Himalayas, the Union government and the West Bengal administration have revived the Chalsa-Naxalbari railway project. The state has approved acquisition of nearly 380 hectares for the 20 km stretch, a scheme sanctioned in 2011-12 that had stalled for years. Officials view the revival as an effort to improve rail access towards the Doklam tri-junction and to shorten mobilisation times to the Siliguri Corridor.