The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has directed a major overhaul of surveillance and land record monitoring along the Tripura–Bangladesh border, including a pilot CCTV deployment, upgrade of Border Security Force (BSF) camera systems and a comprehensive audit of land records in border districts.
The directives were issued during a high-level review meeting on border management held at Salbagan in Tripura on June 5. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Manik Saha, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, Director General of Police Anurag, and senior officials from the civil administration and security apparatus, including District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police from all eight border districts.
Tripura shares an 856-km international border with Bangladesh and remains a sensitive zone for cross-border smuggling of narcotics, arms and counterfeit currency.
According to Shah, the Ministry of Home Affairs’ CCTV surveillance model will be implemented in Tripura on a pilot basis, alongside integration of upgraded BSF camera networks with district administration systems to ensure real-time coordination and monitoring.
He stressed that border security cannot function in isolation and requires an integrated framework involving civil administration, local representatives and security forces.
“Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the Government of India is strengthening every border area, with border security as its highest priority,” Shah said.
Also read: Demographic changes won't be tolerated in border states: Shah
Calling for a “fully secure and foolproof border grid”, Shah said fencing alone was not sufficient and emphasised stronger coordination among District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, Patwaris, Sarpanches and security agencies.
He also ordered awareness and training camps for residents in border areas to counter drug and arms trafficking threats, with participation from local police, BSF personnel and revenue officials.
“Frequent operations against drug and arms trafficking are to be conducted, and the entire chain of contributors to drug trafficking is to be dealt with through a ruthless approach,” he said.
Shah further directed intensified monitoring of financial activity in border districts, including property transactions and construction of large buildings. He also called for a review of land records over the past five years along the international border to detect irregularities.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has been asked to conduct a survey on fake currency circulation, while district collectors and GST officials will undergo targeted training to strengthen enforcement capacity.
The review meeting focused on improving coordination between the state government and central agencies to reinforce surveillance and tighten border management along the Tripura–Bangladesh frontier.
Follow us
