What is the Status of the Border Fencing Project Along the India-Myanmar Frontier?

Imphal, May 2 (NationPress) Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla convened a meeting on Friday to assess the status of the ongoing border fencing initiative along the India-Myanmar frontier, as reported by officials.

An official from Raj Bhavan stated that during this high-level meeting, the Governor scrutinized the advancements in the border fencing project, which encompasses the India-Myanmar border and its integration with other northeastern states.

In the meeting held at Raj Bhavan, representatives from the Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) provided briefings about the progress and addressed concerns related to land acquisition, approach roads, fencing, security, manpower, and other associated topics.

The BRTF operates under the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Attendees included Manipur’s Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Police Rajiv Singh, Commissioner (Home) N. Ashok Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Principal Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary to the Governor, and officials from the Assam Rifles.

Deputy Commissioners from five border districts also participated in the review meeting via video conference.

Another official indicated that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) intensified the border fencing operations near Moreh town in Manipur's Tengnoupal district last year, with the project being executed in phases.

This fencing initiative is part of ‘Project Sewak’, which oversees road construction efforts in Nagaland and Manipur. The headquarters for ‘Project Sewak’ is located in Dimapur, Nagaland, according to the officer.

The Ministry of Home Affairs previously announced plans to fence the entire 1,643 km of the porous India-Myanmar border, notorious for arms, ammunition, and narcotics smuggling, at an estimated cost of Rs 31,000 crore.

Manipur shares a 398 km border with Myanmar, while Arunachal Pradesh has 520 km, Nagaland 215 km, and Mizoram 510 km. Several tribal organizations, local political parties, along with the governments of Nagaland and Mizoram, oppose the fencing of the India-Myanmar border.

Governments of these two northeastern states and various organizations argue that the restrictions on border movement due to the fencing and the elimination of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) will adversely impact the long-standing historical, ethnic, social, cultural, traditional, and economic connections of the Nagas, Mizos, and Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribes residing on both sides of the border.

Last year, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) revealed that the FMR, which permits residents along the India-Myanmar border to travel 16 km into each other's territories without a visa, would soon be abolished. Instead, the MHA proposed a new system to issue passes for border residents of both India and Myanmar living within 10 km on either side of the frontier to regulate cross-border movements.