The union home minister later inspected indigenous and state-of-the-art technologies designed to further strengthen border security at the BSF Jhumagachh BoP in Siliguri.
Kolkata: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday laid the foundation of a set of projects worth ₹77 crores for the Border Security Force (BSF) at an event to build security infrastructure along the India-Bangladesh border in Siliguri of West Bengal.
Among these projects, three cost around ₹47 crores while another is for ₹30 crores to construct a four-km-long border fence on land newly acquired for two border outposts (BoP) in the state. Mr Shah was accompanied by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, union home secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau chief Mahesh Dixit and BSF chief Praveen Kumar.
The union home minister later inspected indigenous and state-of-the-art technologies designed to further strengthen border security at the BSF Jhumagachh BoP in Siliguri. These included a radio-based fence breach detection system which instantly alerts personnel by broadcasting a pre-recorded message whenever the border fence is tampered with.
Another was the infra-red alarm system installed to secure difficult terrains like rivers and streams or gaps in the border fencing. It provides advance warning to the troops whenever the infrared beams are interrupted. Mr Shah also reviewed the gate management system to facilitate safe and smooth movement for civilians and farmers along the border. He further visited a watchtower and participated in a tree plantation drive.
The union home minister then interacted with the BSF troops at 'Prahari Sammelan’. Addressing the event, he asserted the Centre’s commitment to make the country's borders impregnable and informed that a plan to establish a quadrangular security grid to fortify the borders will be implemented first in Bengal.
Mr Shah later held meetings at Uttar Kanya in Siliguri with Mr Adhikari and his cabinet colleagues on the development of North Bengal, full implementation of three new laws in the state and the birth and death registration system in the state.
