Rajnath Singh launches ‘smart fencing' projects: Know how they will boost BSF's security

Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday launched India’s first 'smart fence' projects, which entail deploying laser-activated fences and technology-enabled barriers along the Indo-Pakistan border, in a bid to stop infiltration and illegal migration.

Singh visited the forward area in Jammu to inaugurate the ambitious ‘smart fence’ project to plug two 5-km each long vulnerable patches along the border.

HM Shri @rajnathsingh inaugurating two CIBMS pilot projects in Jammu sector. @BSF_India pic.twitter.com/m7QCT40mJU

— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय (@HMOIndia) September 17, 2018

Border Security Force (BSF) and senior officials of the paramilitary presented a demonstration of the activation and response mechanism of ‘smart fence’ before the home minister.

Here’s all you need to know about the smart fencing project:

The two projects, each covering a 5.5 km-border stretch along the International Border in Jammu, are set to get a first-of-a-kind high-tech surveillance system that will create an invisible electronic barrier on land, water and even in air and underground, helping the Border Security Force (BSF) detect and foil infiltration bids in the most difficult terrains.

“Smart fencing uses a number of devices for surveillance, communication and data storage. Sensors like thermal imager, underground sensors, fibre optical sensors, radar and sonar will be mounted on different platforms like aerostat, tower and poles as part of the smart fence,” an official told PTI.

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The system will provide round-the-clock surveillance on the border even in different weather conditions be it dust storm, fog or rain. The ‘smart fence’ technology will be deployed along the 2,400 km of India’s border with Pakistan and Bangladesh in near future.

The ‘laser fence’ and other gadgets have been integrated and a CCTV-like feed will be given to a BSF post so that immediate action can be taken against any intrusion or infiltration attempt, reported news agency IANS.

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Due to its geographical features, no outpost could be erected in the area which often led to incidents like illegal migrations going unchecked. The introduction of the fence was done to bring down such instances.