Assam Eyes Tighter Infiltration Check as BSF Begins Fencing in Strategic Siliguri Corridor

In a significant development for border security in the Northeast, the Border Security Force (BSF) has started fencing work along portions of the India-Bangladesh border in sensitive Siliguri corridor after authorities handed over nearly 27 kilometres of land required for the project.

The move is expected to strengthen surveillance and curb infiltration routes that have remained a concern for Assam also and neighbouring states for decades.

Officials said the land handover has cleared one of the major hurdles delaying construction of border fencing in sensitive stretches adjoining Bangladesh.

For Assam, the development carries major significance as the state has long raised concerns over illegal infiltration, cross-border smuggling and demographic pressure in districts located near the Bangladesh border.

Security experts believe improved fencing and surveillance could reduce unauthorised movement through porous stretches that indirectly affect Assam through neighbouring Meghalaya and Tripura sectors as well.

Although Assam shares a shorter border with Bangladesh compared to states like Tripura and Meghalaya, infiltration has remained a politically sensitive issue in the state for decades. Successive governments in Assam have linked illegal migration to land pressure, identity politics and electoral concerns, particularly in lower and central Assam districts.

The new fencing initiative is also expected to help security agencies check cattle smuggling, narcotics trafficking and movement of counterfeit goods along the international border. BSF officials have repeatedly maintained that incomplete fencing in several stretches creates operational challenges, especially during night patrols and monsoon seasons.

The Centre has in recent years accelerated work on comprehensive border management, including smart fencing, floodlighting and deployment of advanced surveillance equipment. In Assam, the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has consistently pushed for stricter border monitoring and updating of mechanisms to detect illegal entrants.

Officials said once completed, the new fencing stretches would improve coordination between border guarding forces and state police agencies, while also helping in quicker response to infiltration alerts in sensitive sectors of the Northeast.

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