West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that the state government has handed over 142.79 acres of land to the Border Security Force for the construction of outposts and barbed‑wire fencing along the India‑Bangladesh border.

This handover forms part of the BJP government’s decision, taken during its first cabinet meeting on 11 May, to transfer 600 acres of land within 45 days for fencing and related infrastructure projects.

Adhikari stated that the government has intensified measures to strengthen border security by facilitating BSF infrastructure development. He emphasised that the additional land transfer has raised the total tally to 142.79 acres, marking a significant step in the phased implementation of the plan.

The announcement was made in a social media post late on Wednesday, where he also shared a district‑wise chart detailing the land allocations across nine districts.

According to the chart, 22.92 acres have been handed over in Coochbehar, 35.16 acres in Jalpaiguri, 8.81 acres in Darjeeling, 2.84 acres in Uttar Dinajpur, and 20.17 acres in Dakshin Dinajpur.

In addition, 10.9 acres have been transferred in Malda, 38.8 acres in Murshidabad, 0.55 acre in Nadia, and 2.6 acres in North 24 Parganas. These allocations reflect the government’s effort to ensure that fencing and outpost construction are spread across critical border districts.

As part of the first phase of the initiative, 43 acres of purchased land across five districts and sanction orders for 31.9 acres of vested land were handed over to the BSF on 20 May. This phased approach demonstrates the administration’s commitment to meeting its 45‑day deadline while balancing land acquisition challenges.

The initiative follows a major policy announcement by Adhikari outlining a twin‑pronged strategy: accelerating fencing work and enforcing stricter administrative measures against illegal immigration. The government’s stance highlights its prioritisation of national security and border management, particularly in sensitive frontier regions.

West Bengal shares a 2,217‑kilometre border with Bangladesh, the longest among Indian states. Of this, around 1,600 kilometres have already been fenced, while nearly 600 kilometres remain unfenced. The latest handover is expected to accelerate BSF efforts to close these gaps, thereby enhancing surveillance and reducing vulnerabilities to infiltration and smuggling.

The move has also drawn attention from neighbouring Assam, which welcomed Bengal’s fencing initiative as a measure to secure the strategic Siliguri Corridor, often referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck.” This corridor is vital for connectivity to India’s Northeast and is considered a highly sensitive zone in terms of both defence and logistics.

The BJP government’s actions underline its determination to distinguish its governance approach from its predecessor, while signalling to the Centre its alignment with national security priorities. The land transfers are not only a logistical step but also a political statement of intent to strengthen India’s eastern frontier.

PTI