With one more massive initiative adding into the pocket of the ruling government in India, the government has floodlit 647 kilometres of the neighbouring nations to prevent terrorism & immigrants from infiltrating into Indian territory. The floodlighting of the long stretching of Pakistan – Bangladesh borders was completed in a year, a home ministry official said.

It is said that this border will help guarding forces keep strict patrolling in the forward areas & check attempts of infiltration by terrorists & illegal immigrants. The central government sanctioned projects worth Rs 5, 188 crore in the last three years of which Rs 2, 138 crore has been released for the India-Bangladesh & India-Pakistan border projects. The project includes erecting a fence in a 200-km area, 110 composite border outposts, floodlighting the 647-kilometre-long areas & constructing 430-kilometre-long border roads.

Overall length of the India-Pakistan border is 3,323 kilometre, including the Line of Control (LOC) & the Actual Ground Position Line, whereas the India-Bangladesh border covers 4,096 km long area. The home ministry has also undertaken a new drive for the creation of model villages in border areas. More than Rs 92 crore has been released to seven states for development of 41 model villages, including 24 in Jammu & Kashmir.

To promote the border trade & passenger movement at land border crossings, the government has been advocating the setting up of Integrated Check Posts (ICPs). In the year 2009, the central government had approved a proposal to build up an additional 509 border outposts (BOPs) along the India-Pakistan & the India-Bangladesh borders at an estimated cost of Rs 1,832 crore.

At present, there are around 609 BOPs along the India-Pakistan border & an additional 126 BOPs are to be constructed to reduce the inter-BOP distance to 3.5km. Also, there are around 802 BOPs along the India-Bangladesh border where around 383 BOPs were to be constructed.