Bengal to get 10 new BOPs, smart fencing in North
Kolkata, July 18
The Union Home Ministry has decided to set up ten new Border Outposts in West Bengal, including two in the northern sector of the state, in order to completely arrest illegal immigration from Bangladesh and prevent cross‑border smuggling through the international borders in the state.
At the same time, the ministry has also taken an in‑principle decision to arrange smart virtual fencing and thermal imaging systems in a particular sector in North Bengal where physical barbed fencing is not possible because of topographical reasons, especially the presence of a river.
These decisions were taken at a crucial meeting related to border security in West Bengal at Siliguri in Darjeeling district, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday afternoon.
The others attending the meeting included the district magistrates and district police superintendents from six districts in North Bengal: Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda, all of which have international borders with Bangladesh. The meeting was also attended by BSF's inspector general in charge of North Bengal Frontier.
Insiders aware of the developments said that a major part of the discussion concerned practical problems in setting up physical barbed fencing in certain pockets between Fulbari and Narayanjot, which are strategically located near the Indo‑Bangladesh border and the Chicken's Neck Corridor, due to the presence of the Mahananda River.
Since a substantial part of the area, especially the portion through which the river flows, remains unfenced and open, the risk of illegal infiltration during the rainy season persists. Hence, the proposal was mooted to arrange smart virtual fencing and thermal imaging systems to prevent both illegal immigration and cross‑border smuggling in that area.
"In the meeting, the Union Home Minister clearly said that considering that the Siliguri Corridor is the lifeline of the North Eastern states of India, there would be no compromise on the security of this region. Hence, the border is being made completely impenetrable with the new BOPs and sophisticated security systems," an official said.
Earlier in the day, Amit Shah, who arrived at Siliguri on Friday night, interacted with BSF personnel at the BSF's 18th Battalion Border Outpost (BOP) in Siliguri, near the India‑Bangladesh border.
He also laid the foundation stone for and inaugurated development projects worth Rs 77.06 crore, reviewed the security arrangements along the border fencing, visited the watchtower, planted a sapling, and joined the BSF personnel for high tea.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good move by Amit Shah ji. But I wish they would also focus on the human smuggling networks inside districts. BOPs alone won't stop infiltration if there are agents on both sides.
As someone from North Bengal, I can tell you this is long overdue. The riverine borders are a nightmare during monsoon. Smart fencing makes sense, but connectivity and maintenance in those remote areas will be a challenge. Hope they have a proper plan.
What about the genuine refugees and people who need to cross for family or medical reasons? We need a humane approach alongside security. Not all movement from Bangladesh is illegal.
₹77 crore for development projects - hope some of that reaches the border villages. The locals there have been neglected for decades. Security and development must go hand in hand.
Good to see India taking border security seriously. The Siliguri Corridor is indeed critical for the Northeast. Smart tech is the way forward, but it needs to be backed by regular patrols and quick response teams.
Mixed feelings on this. Yes, security is important, but the timing of this meeting with Suvendu Adhikari seems politically motivated. The real test will be implementation, not just announcements. 😕
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