Kolkata, 03 June (H.S.) : The West Bengal government has transferred 31.905 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) to expedite fencing work along the India-Bangladesh international border, ending a process that had remained pending for several years.

The announcement was made by Panchayat Minister Dilip Ghosh following a state Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Ghosh said the Cabinet approved multiple proposals aimed at strengthening border infrastructure, including the transfer of land for fencing projects and the establishment of permanent border outposts. In line with a decision taken at the government's first Cabinet meeting, 31.905 acres of land at nine locations along the Bangladesh border have been handed over to the BSF.

According to the minister, the Department of Land and Land Reforms had placed a proposal before the Cabinet to transfer 1.53 acres of land in Malda, Murshidabad and Cooch Behar districts for the construction of permanent border outposts at three locations. The proposal received Cabinet approval.

The Cabinet also cleared a proposal to transfer 12.72 acres of land at 11 locations in Uttar Dinajpur district to facilitate border fencing work.

The issue of land acquisition and transfer for border fencing has remained a contentious one in West Bengal for years. The Calcutta High Court had earlier criticised the previous state government for delays in handing over land required by the BSF to strengthen security along the international border.

Ghosh further said the Cabinet discussed a proposal to transfer 20 acres of government land at Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri district to the Forest Department. The land will subsequently be made available for the Sevak–Rangpo railway project.

The state government said the measures would help strengthen border security infrastructure and curb illegal infiltration, smuggling and other cross-border activities along the India-Bangladesh frontier.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh