West Bengal govt clears 105 acres for BSF border fencing

The West Bengal government has given in-principle approval to transfer around 105 acres of land to the Centre for border fencing and construction of outposts, official sources said on Monday.

The land will be handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) to fence a nearly 17-km stretch of the international border and to s et up nine Border Outposts (BOPs), which are positioned a few kilometres apart to ensure continuous monitoring and security coverage.

The proposal was cleared by a ministerial group at the state secretariat, Nabanna, and will now be placed before the state Cabinet for final approval.

Sources said about 67 acres would be used for fencing and 18 acres for the nine BOPs. As most of the required land is privately owned, the state will acquire it before transferring it to the BSF. An additional 20–25 acres of government land at nine border-adjacent locations may also be handed over.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier opposed the Centre’s move to expand BSF jurisdiction in border states, terming it an encroachment on federal principles. However, the current proposal pertains only to infrastructure support . Officials clarified that transferring land for fencing and BOPs does not alter the constitutional powers of the state, as border security falls under the Union List and policing falls under state list.

The move is aimed at strengthening border infrastructure and enhancing security arrangements in the region.