Siliguri

Fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border has commenced in the Phansidewa area of Siliguri subdivision after the West Bengal government transferred 27 kilometres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF), a move aimed at strengthening security infrastructure in the sensitive border region.

Ground activity for the fencing project has already begun, with officials initiating preliminary work following the long-awaited land handover. Authorities believe the development will improve surveillance capabilities and tighten security along the international border.

Residents of the border villages welcomed the move, saying it had addressed long-standing safety concerns in the area.

One resident, Anil Ghosh, said people in the region had lived under constant fear due to the absence of proper border security. He claimed locals earlier faced serious difficulties, including threats linked to illegal cross-border activities, and said the fencing project had brought a sense of relief and safety.

Another villager, Narayan Saha, said residents had demanded border fencing for years and expressed happiness that the project had finally moved forward. He credited the new state leadership for facilitating the process and said villagers now felt more secure.

Shivam Modak, another resident, described the land transfer as an important step for national security. He said the lack of fencing had earlier created uncertainty among people living near the border and added that repeated appeals for land allocation had remained unresolved in the past.

The development comes shortly after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state government would provide 27 kilometres of land for border fencing, along with additional land required for Border Outposts (BOPs) and BSF-related infrastructure.

Speaking earlier in Howrah, the Chief Minister had said the decision was taken following renewed coordination with central agencies after delays in land allocation. He had also criticised the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government, alleging that insufficient cooperation on land transfer had affected border security measures.

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According to the Chief Minister, the proposal was cleared during the first Cabinet meeting, and the land transfer process to the Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to be completed within 45 days, after which the BSF will accelerate fencing construction work.