Lok Sabha Question No. 1418 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Fencing on Indo-Bangladesh Border
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1418

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020/BHADRAPADA 29, 1942 (SAKA)

FENCING ON INDO-BANGLADESH BORDER

1418. SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the length in kilometres of fencing of Indo-Bangladesh border which has been completed so far, State-wise;
- (b) the length in kilometres of the border yet to be fenced along with the target time for completion;
- (c) the details of patrolling status in the riverine border;
- (d) whether there are floodlights along the riverine section of the borders;
- (e) the number of illegal migrants who have crossed over to India during the last five years; and
- (f)  the  number  of  such  persons  arrested  by  BSF  during  the  said  period,  Statewise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a)  &  (b)  The  state-wise  details  of  border  covered  by  fencing  along  Indo-

Bangladesh border is as under:

## (Approx. Length in Km)

| Sno   | State     |   Length of International Border (IB) |   Length of IB covered by fencing |   Length of IB yet to be covered |
|-------|-----------|---------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 1.    | W. Bengal |                                2216.7 |                          1638.05  |                          578.653 |
| 2.    | Assam     |                                 263   |                           210.017 |                           52.983 |
| 3.    | Meghalaya |                                 443   |                           325.773 |                          117.227 |
| 4.    | Mizoram   |                                 318   |                           155.077 |                          162.923 |
| 5.    | Tripura   |                                 856   |                           791.118 |                           64.882 |
| Total | Total     |                                4096.7 |                          3120.03  |                          976.668 |

## LS.US.Q.NO.1418 FOR 20.09.2020

The fencing work could not be completed due to difficult terrain, short working season,  land  acquisition  problems,  public  protests,  objections  by  Border  Guard Bangladesh  and  recently  the  COVID-19  situation.  The  Government  regularly monitors  the  progress  of  work  along  Indo-Bangladesh  border  to  ensure  its completion.

- (c)  The  riverine  border  along  Indo-Bangladesh  border  is  dominated  through floating Border Out Posts, patrolling with boats, foot patrolling along river banks during day and night and by conducting special operations with state police as and when required.
- (d) Floodlights are installed along fenced border including small river/ nallah gaps. (e)  &  (f)  Border  Security  Force  conducts  regular  patrolling, lay  nakas, establish observation posts and carry out anti-tunneling exercise to stop illegal migrants. However, some illegal migrants are able to enter in a clandestine and surreptious manner,  mainly  due  to  difficult  riverine  terrain  in  parts  of  International  border with  Bangladesh  which  are  not  amenable  to  physical  fencing.  The  state-wise details  of  illegal  migrants  apprehended  by  BSF  along  Indo-Bangladesh  border during last five years w.e.f. 01.01.2015 is as under:

| Sno   | Border    | Year   | Year   | Year   | Year   | Year   | Year             |
|-------|-----------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|------------------|
|       | State     | 2015   | 2016   | 2017   | 2018   | 2019   | 2020 (upto 31 st |
|       |           |        |        |        |        |        | Aug)             |
| 1.    | W. Bengal | 3296   | 1875   | 992    | 900    | 1167   | 464              |
| 2.    | Assam     | 08     | 07     | 11     | 11     | 08     | 07               |
| 3.    | Meghalaya | 57     | 63     | 47     | 39     | 43     | 27               |
| 4.    | Mizoram   | 00     | 00     | 03     | 03     | 07     | 00               |
| 5.    | Tripura   | 65     | 130    | 122    | 165    | 126    | 42               |
| Total | Total     | 3426   | 2075   | 1175   | 1118   | 1351   | 540              |