Operation Clean, the Centre-backed security drive along the India-Pakistan International Border, has been significantly expanded — its surveillance radius more than tripling from 15 km to 50 km — bringing 102 villages and hamlets in Rajasthan's border districts under intensified scrutiny. Authorities are conducting joint field surveys to identify unauthorised structures, forged land records, and financial networks linked to cross-border threats, with illegal constructions potentially facing demolition.

Scope of the Expanded Operation

Bikaner Collector Anupama Jorwal confirmed that the enlarged zone now covers 102 border villages and dhanis, with joint teams already conducting extensive ground surveys. The decision to widen the operation's perimeter followed a recent border security review meeting in Bikaner and deliberations under the Vibrant Village Programme.

A comprehensive survey report is expected to be submitted to the Union Home Ministry shortly. Teams led by patwaris and tehsildars are verifying land ownership records and scrutinising documents to detect illegal occupation, forged ownership claims, and unauthorised transactions. Permanent structures erected without valid approvals or built on forged documents could face demolition orders.

Financial Networks and Identity Fraud Under Scrutiny

The operation has extended beyond physical structures to financial oversight. Banks in the border region have been directed to ensure full transparency and strict adherence to regulatory norms. Security and intelligence agencies are actively investigating cases involving forged land records, fake Aadhaar cards, and counterfeit identity documents.

Notably, the finances and ownership patterns of suspicious companies operating in border districts are also being examined. The expanded mandate targets cross-border networks involved in arms smuggling, drug trafficking, illegal settlements, and terror financing — threats that security agencies believe require a wider operational perimeter to effectively counter.

Agencies Deployed on the Ground

Joint teams comprising the Border Security Force (BSF), Intelligence Bureau (IB), district administration, and revenue officials have been deployed across the expanded zone. Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly directed the launch of Operation Clean during his interaction with district collectors of border districts on a visit to Bikaner.

Rajasthan Director General of Police Rajeev Sharma said, 'We are working hard to develop border villages under the Vibrant Village Programme, which has yielded good results in North East and other states. The idea is to connect with locals in these villages to ensure that they feel connected with us despite being staying in border areas.'

He added: 'Our focus will be on illegal structures coming up in border villages, checking drug smuggling in border areas, and ensuring locals are aware of any kind of demographic changes. Vibrant Villages Programme has significantly improved the quality of life in different states, and now Rajasthan too will be speaking the success story.'

Why the Expansion Matters

The move comes amid heightened security awareness along the western border. The Vibrant Village Programme, which has already demonstrated results in northeastern frontier states, is being positioned as a dual-purpose instrument — improving civilian quality of life while tightening security infrastructure. This is the most significant geographic expansion of Operation Clean since its launch, and signals a shift from reactive patrolling to proactive structural and financial surveillance across a much larger belt of Rajasthan's Pakistan-facing frontier.

With the survey report set to reach the Union Home Ministry soon, the next phase is expected to involve enforcement action against identified violations and possible legal proceedings in cases of documented identity fraud.