Amit Shah inaugurates key infrastructure projects along Indo-Pak border

KACHCHH (Gujarat): Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the key infrastructure projects along the Indo-Pakistan border in Gujarat's Kachchh, said an official statement on Saturday. According to an official release by BSF Gujarat, "In a significant step towards enhancing border security and infrastructure, Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for a Mooring Place at Koteshwar for the Border Security Force (BSF) in Kutch and also inaugurated the newly constructed Chidiyamod-Biarbet Link Road and OP Tower in the district's Harami Nala area."

Speaking at the event, the Home Minister emphasized the government's dedication to ensuring the safety and security of our nation's borders. He further said Mooring Place at Koteshwar will help in the upkeep and maintenance of BSF Floating BOPs and water vessels and enable the availability of these assets for round-the-clock surveillance and operations in the inaccessible creeks, said the official release. The Mooring Place project, with an outlay of 257 crore, stands unveiled as a testament to the government's unwavering commitment to bolster the capabilities of our border guarding forces.

The release added that the strategically located, Mooring Place, spanning over an area of 60 acres, serves as a crucial infrastructure for BSF Water Vessels in the Creek region. This state-of-the-art facility will facilitate maritime security operations in the Creek area and significantly improve the availability of resources for BSF personnel deployed in the region, said the release. Home Minister also inaugurated the Chidiyamod-Biarbet Link Road and an OP Tower near BP No. 1164 in the Harami Nala area.

The construction of the Link Road marks an important milestone in improving accessibility and connectivity to border areas, said the release. This newly constructed road of 28.2 Kms by CPWD at the cost of 106.2 crore is set to facilitate smoother movement of personnel and resources, thereby contributing to enhanced border management and security operations.

OP Tower at BP 1164 in Harami Nala built at a cost of Rs 3 crore ensures the clock presence of BSF, strengthens security and makes this area impenetrable, added the release. Road connectivity will help in the swift movement of BSF in border areas to meet operational and administrative requirements. The OP Tower in Harami Nala will stop attempts of illegal intrusions by Pakistani fishermen through Harami Nala.

The release stated that the Home Minister further acknowledged the tireless efforts of the Border Security Force in safeguarding our borders and commended their unwavering commitment and professionalism.

Earlier, DG BSF in his welcome address expressed gratitude towards the Home Minister for sanctioning funds for developing border security infrastructure and also highlighted the crucial role that these infrastructure developments play in advancing the operational capabilities of the Force. He also expressed gratitude to the government for its unwavering support in strengthening border security and emphasized the significance of these initiatives in safeguarding the nation's borders and ensuring the safety of its citizens, said the release.

The event was attended by Harsh Sanghavi, MoS (Home), Gujarat along with Vinod Chavda, MP of Kutch, Pradhyuman Sinh Jadeja, MLA, Abdasa, Ajay Bhalla, IAS, Union Home Secretary, Nitin Agrawal, IPS, DG BSF, P V Rama Sastry, IPS, SDG, BSF (Western Command), Ravi Gandhi, IG BSF, Gujarat Frontier, other senior officers of BSF, CPWD, State Administration and civil dignitaries, said the release. The initiatives undertaken in the border area in Kutch underscore the government's commitment to modernizing and strengthening border infrastructure, enhancing security mechanisms, and fortifying our national defence, it added.

The release also said that the Mooring Place at Koteshwar, Chidiyamod Biarbet Link Road and OP Tower at BP 1164 are significant steps towards ensuring the safety and sovereignty of our nation's borders. "The Home Minister was presented a memento by Nitin Agrawal, IPS, DG BSF. Further, P V Rama Sastry, IPS, SDG (Western Command) expressed gratitude through a vote of thanks," stated the release.

On the operational front, since 2021, BSF Gujarat has killed 2 Pakistani smugglers on IB in Barmer Sector and apprehended 09 Pakistani Nationals, 04 Bangladeshi Nationals and 05 other nationals in the border area, it added. 25 Pak fishermen were apprehended and 81 Pakistani fishing boats were seized in Creek and Harami Nalla area during the period. BSF has also recovered 119 Kg of Heroin, 130 Kg of Charas, 3 Kg of Amphetamine and 160 Kg of Doda-Posht all valued at 600 crore, stated the official release.