Floodwaters have battered India’s western frontier, damaging more than 110 kilometres of fencing along the international border with Pakistan and submerging close to 90 Border Security Force (BSF) posts in Punjab and Jammu, according to official sources.
The deluge, described as the worst in Punjab since 1988 and fuelled by record-breaking rains in Jammu, has wreaked havoc across villages, farmland and forward defence points of the BSF. The Tawi river, revered locally as Surya Putri, burst its banks, inundating homes and sweeping through stretches of farmland in the region.
Of the 2,289 km-long border New Delhi shares with Pakistan along Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Jammu, the BSF is tasked with securing 192 km in Jammu and 553 km in Punjab. The latest floods have left about 80 km of fencing in Punjab and 30 km in Jammu either submerged, uprooted or leaning precariously.
“Floods have also damaged or inundated about 20 Border Security Force posts in Jammu and 65-67 in Punjab. Several forward defence points or high-ground observation posts of the force have also been impacted,” officials said.
Also read: Centre sends team to assess J&K flood damages
A BSF official confirmed that a “mega exercise” had been launched to restore damaged fencing and border outposts. “The IB in these affected areas is being secured through drone surveillance, usage of large searchlights, boat patrolling and electronic monitoring. The water is receding and the BSF will be back to its position in no time,” the official added.
The situation has not been without tragedy. A BSF jawan drowned in floodwaters in Jammu a few days ago while performing duty, underlining the perils confronting security personnel tasked with safeguarding the frontier under extreme conditions.
While relief efforts continue, the devastation underscores the vulnerability of border infrastructure to extreme weather events. Both Punjab and Jammu, critical stretches along the frontier, now face the twin challenges of rehabilitation and reinforcing security in the face of damaged fencing.
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