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The unusual railway station in West Bengal is located so close to Bangladesh that parts of the surrounding railway area directly touched another country.
News18
India has many extraordinary railway stations, but few are as exceptional as the Heli Railway Station in West Bengal. Located in Dakshin Dinajpur district near the border of India and Bangladesh, the station became famous because the international border between the two countries runs right alongside it, making it one of the rare railway stations in the world to be built almost on an international border.
What makes Haili particularly fascinating is the way the border runs through the surrounding area. According to the Indian Railway Archives, parts of the railway infrastructure built during British rule ended up in close proximity to what later became the East India-Pakistan border after partition in 1947. When Bangladesh was formed in 1971, the area officially became part of the India-Bangladesh International Boundary Area.
The station itself is located on the Indian side of West Bengal, while Bangladesh begins just beyond the nearby fence. Regional reports have previously described how the station area and nearby tracks appeared to merge almost directly into the border area before fencing and stricter security measures were imposed. Even today, passengers standing near the station can see Bangladeshi settlements and activity just meters away.
The city of Hili itself bears a complex history because Partition divided the region between two states almost overnight. According to archives of the Bangladesh Liberation War and historical accounts of railway historians, the markets, neighborhoods and transport lines of the region were suddenly divided after the Radcliffe Line was drawn.
Today, the station is closely monitored by the Border Security Forces due to its strategic location. Reports from border guard forces and local administration describe dense fencing, patrol roads and security checkpoints surrounding much of the station area. The area also witnessed heavy fighting during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, adding to its historical importance.
Over time, Healy Railway Station became a curiosity for railway enthusiasts and travelers fascinated by its unusual geography. Videos and photographs of trains moving alongside the international border fence often go viral on the internet because the location looks different from any other railway station in India.
Although Heli is not among the busiest railway stations in India, it remains one of the most geographically unique railway locations in the country, as the train journey unfolds right next to the border of another country.
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