India shares a large 4,096 km border with Bangladesh, of which a 2,216 km long stretch runs alongside West Bengal. And night vision cameras, motion detectors, and improvised alarms are some of the equipment that are being deployed to enhance surveillance and deter illegal crossings in the border area.
“We use optimum manpower, technology and resources to prevent smuggling and human trafficking. In the unfenced areas our jawans have themselves improvised the fence using wire,” said an official.
A senior official said that the BSF’s South Bengal Frontier, which guards 913 km length of the international border between the two neighbours, extensively uses electronic surveillance in cohesion with conventional methods like sentry posts and foot patrolling. Out of 913 km of South Bengal frontier 350 square feet is unfenced area, he said.
Regular maintenance of the area, including cleaning and grass cutting, ensures clear lines of sight and prevents concealment, an official said, adding that night vision cameras and LED lights installed on bamboo sticks provide round-the-clock surveillance, enhancing visibility and situational awareness.
This combination of physical barriers, environmental control, and technological surveillance enables the BSF to effectively monitor and secure the border in this challenging terrain, said officials. “The area is monitored by night vision cameras, including fixed bullet cameras and pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, capable of observing movement up to 1 kilometer away. All of these are connected to live feeds in the control room, enabling rapid response to any potential threats,” said an official.
During one such visit near the unfenced area along the India-Bangladesh border in Petrapole on Tuesday, The Indian Express witnessed a series of improvised alarm systems that have been installed near the border, to detect and deter unauthorized border crossings.
These include tripwires that activate loud alarms and trip layer flares that ignite upon disturbance or when any intruder accidentally touches the wire. These are connected to live feeds in the control room, enabling rapid response to any potential threats in the difficult terrain and riverine sections.
Additionally, to address potential gaps in sentry monitoring, electronic surveillance systems, including 360-degree rotating cameras and motion-sensitive sensors, have been deployed. These sensors trigger an alarm if anyone attempts to tamper with the camouflage surrounding the surveillance equipment. “Technology, manpower and resources are filling up the gaps. All movements along the border are continuously monitored at control rooms, from where directives are issued to on-duty sentries. To ensure a measured response, BSF personnel are equipped with pump action guns (PAGs), non-lethal weapons, while on sentry duty,” said an official.
According to an official, to deter the throwing of objects across the border, netting is also used to cover the smart fences, which are 20 feet high at places near villages.
BSF faces significant challenges in maintaining vigil near the Betna river in Petrapole particularly during the rainy season when the area is submerged under water. To address the situation, BSF has implemented a multi-layered approach that includes improvised fencing, constructed using bamboo and copper wire to restrict movement. Along with this, LED lights have been installed on bamboo sticks, and all of them are connected to the control room of the Border outpost. “Conditions become more challenging during the monsoons as the Betna river flowing along the border and other water bodies in this area overflow owing to heavy rain,” an official said.
Meanwhile, the official said that the land acquisition process is complete and around 5 acre land has been acquired for putting up smart single row fencing of 10-feet in height in the unfenced area. Some land along the border has been handed over to the force for the purpose by the state administration as per BSF’s requirement.