Pilot project of CIBMS along Indo-Pak border in JK to be completed by Apr end: BSF

Two pilot projects of Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) in sectors along nearly 200 km long International Border (IB) will be completed by April end, DG BSF K K Sharma said.

CIBMS is an integration of a number of new gadgets and technologies to ensure electronic surveillance of borders.

"The two pilot projects of 5.5 and 5.3 kilometer of stretches each are nearing completion. I am hopeful that by the end of April, both these patches will be complete for the inauguration," Sharma told PTI.

These provide feeds to BSF personnel at the border outposts, where monitors would be installed. In case of a threat, quick reaction BSF teams will intervene and neutralise it.

The BSF chief expressed hope that it will be able to plug the gaps in "vulnerable areas" along the country's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh in the next three to five years.

He said that the BSF plans to put up a CIBMS in areas along the Indo-Pak and India-Bangladesh border, where it is difficult to put up a fence due to the nature of the terrain as well as check cross-border infiltration and smuggling.

The BSF has decided to go ahead on construction of 10-meter high wall cum embankment along IB in Jammu frontier after much delay.

The Central government had begun the process of building a wall 10 meters high and 190 km long IB to prevent infiltration, and protect locals from shelling across the border in 2016.

The wall, called border embankment for strategic reasons, will be built along the 110 km stretch of the Kathua-Jammu region is going to be 135 feet wide. A proposal to construct 80 additional border posts has also been approved.

Out of 118 villages in the districts of Kathua, Samba and Jammu, authorities have completed land acquisition in 106 villages. In all over 1,600 acres of land is being procured at a cost of Rs 104 crore.