AGARTALA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed to upgrade the cameras of the Border Security Force (BSF) along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura and link them to the district administration, making the state the first to implement the new CCTV-based border security model at the Centre, according to a government statement issued on Saturday.
The directions were issued during a border security review meeting chaired by Shah at the Tripura Border Force headquarters on Friday and attended by Chief Minister Manik Saha, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, Director General Anurag Dhankar and other senior officers besides district magistrates and superintendents of police in all the eight border districts.
Under this model, the civil administration will work alongside border guard forces in managing border security. The system will later be expanded to include other states sharing the border between India and Bangladesh, officials familiar with the matter said.
Shah also directed district judges to maintain close monitoring of financial transactions in border areas, construction of large buildings, and real estate transactions. “He has ordered an examination of land records for the past five years,” the statement read.
The Interior Minister also instructed the authorities to organize camps to train residents living along the border to deal with threats related to drug trafficking and illegal weapons. The camps will include ‘patwaris’ (guards), local police and Border Security Force personnel.
“His Majesty stressed that not just fencing, but complete territorial defense – including local administration, smart technology and Border Guard Force – will create a completely safe and secure border network. His Majesty directed that camps be organized to train people living along the border to counter drug and weapons threats. He directed to ensure the presence of guards, local police and Border Security Force personnel in these camps. His Majesty also directed the implementation of the CCTV model of the Ministry of Home Affairs in these camps. Tripura First,” the statement said. Every camera belonging to the Border Security Forces should be updated and linked to the region’s administration.
The proposed training model is similar to initiatives undertaken by the Border Security Forces in Jammu and Kashmir, where villagers in border areas are trained to respond to security threats. Such exercises have intensified in villages along the Jammu sector in the wake of Operation Sindoor.
Shah, who has been reviewing security arrangements along the Indo-Pakistani and Indo-Bangladesh borders over the past two weeks, has repeatedly spoken about the new ‘smart border’ security that the Center plans to unveil soon.
During similar meetings in Rajasthan and Gujarat last week, he directed district judges to monitor demographic changes in border areas. In Gujarat, he also ordered the formation of security coordination groups in each border district comprising agencies like Border Security Forces, Coast Guard, Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate and banking officials.
Shah is on a two-day visit to the northeastern state starting Thursday to visit a border site and lay the foundation stone for a five-star heritage hotel.
