Border Protection Grid to Be Set Up in Border States

Indo-Bangladesh Border states are Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and West Bengal

Union home minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting with the chief ministers of the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) states in Kolkata on December 7.

The IBB includes 5 states of India: Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and West Bengal and their total length is 4096 km. Border security infrastructure of fence, roads, floodlights, and border out posts (BOPs) is in place in 3006 km while work in the remaining 1090 km is yet to be started. Out of this, 684 km will be secured with fence, and related infrastructure, and the balance 406 km with non-physical barriers.

The areas to be covered by non-physical barriers are those where fencing is not feasible like rivers or nullahs. In these areas, technological solutions of a networked combination of electronic gadgets like radar, day-night cameras, various types of sensors are all integrated in a command and control architecture. The minister highlighted the concept of Border Protection Grid (BPG) for multi-pronged and foolproof mechanism to secure our borders. The grid will comprise of various elements namely physical barriers, non-physical barriers, surveillance system, Intelligence agencies, State Police, BSF, State and Central agencies.

While India has friendly relations with Bangladesh, all these measures will facilitate genuine trade and legitimate cross-border movement of people while curbing radicalization, illegal migration, smuggling of cattle, FICNs, and drugs. He also emphasized the need to fast track border infrastructure development.