AGARTALA, August 16 (TIWN): The Ministry of Home Affairs has made all out effort to mount at least 78 more fresh composite Border Outposts (BOPs) along the 856 km long Indo-Bangla border in Tripura by 2017 in addition to the existing 248 BOPs to augment the facilities to security forces guarding the bordering areas of the state, said official source. According to the government report Tripura has currently as many as 248 camps and BOPs along Indo-Bangladesh border having highest distance between two camps is 9.67 Km.Out of the proposed Composite BOPs, construction of 36 had already been completed and rest will be done soon.Besides, Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) have agreed to construct at least 40 new border outposts (BOPs) facing Tripura and Mizoram along the India-Bangladesh border to check militant activities and trafficking. However, it is expected that the proposed BOPs in the mountainous Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) will help in containing terrorism in the northeastern states since most camps of Indian insurgent groups, including Tripura militant outfits, are located in southeast Bangladesh's CHT.Since roads along the hilly Bangladeshi frontiers are absent or in poor shape, BGB officials sought permission to use Indian roads for setting up these new BOPs in the CHT. BSF officials assured the BGB of full cooperation, he pointed out.

The BOPs would have electronic surveillance equipment and communications, said official. BSF jawans will get better amenities and amusement even at the border areas, which will certainly help to get better output from the Jawans, he said.

However, the Government of India has sanctioned fencing to the extent of 3326.14 km along the Indo-Bangladesh Border under two phases. The Phase-I project has been completed in the year 2000 under which 854.35 km fence was erected. Under Phase-II, 1973.572 km fence work has been completed.

An expenditure of Rs.1059 crore was incurred for construction of fence and roads under Phase-I. The Government has sanctioned 2468.77 km of fence and 1512.68 km of roads under Phase-II project at an estimated cost of Rs.4393.69 crore. The Phase-II project was targeted to be completed by 31.03.2014.

The same has spilled over due to delay in land acquisition by the State Government concerned, public protest, delay in forest/wildlife clearances, difficult terrain, prolonged monsoon season in North Eastern areas, etc.

To prevent infiltration along the Indo-Bangladesh border the government had taken certain measures which includes effective domination of the border by the Border Security Force (BSF) through carrying out round the clock surveillance of the border by patrolling nakas (border ambushes) and by deploying observation posts all along the Indo-Bangladesh border.

It also includes usage of Hi-Tech surveillance equipments along with day and night vision devices for further enhancing the border domination.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar recently informed the state legislative assembly that Cost hike of construction has prevented erection of barbed fencing along 115.29 Km stretch along Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura. He said, “The construction of barbed fencing faced obstruction as Central Government did not approve revised estimate in some places.”

Four Indian northeastern states of Tripura 856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km) share an 1,880-km border with Bangladesh.

The mountainous terrain, dense forests and other hindrances make the borders porous and vulnerable, enabling illegal immigrants and intruders cross over without any hurdles.