NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has barred the setting up of new solar, wind and hybrid renewable energy projects within 1 km of the Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual Control (LAC) and International Border (IB), citing national security concerns.
The guidelines, issued by the MHA’s Internal Security wing and a copy of which is with TNIE, classify areas within 50 km of India’s land borders as “sensitive areas” and introduce a graded security-clearance regime for renewable energy projects proposed in these zones.
Under the new framework, no project activity will be permitted within 1 km of the LoC, LAC or IB. Projects proposed between 1 km and 50 km from these borders will require security clearance from the MHA, while those located within 20 km of the IB will additionally require a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Defence.
Clearances for projects in the 1-50 km zone, as well as Defence Ministry NOCs for projects between 1 km and 20 km, will be considered on a case-by-case basis, the guidelines said.
Sources familiar with the development said projects that had already received security clearance from the MHA before the guidelines were issued “will not be required to apply afresh”. Similarly, applicants who had already obtained an NOC from the Defence Ministry will not need to reapply under the new framework.
The move follows a rise in applications seeking approval to establish renewable energy projects in border areas, some of which could have “national security implications”, the sources said. The MHA had issued an office memorandum on the matter on June 5 before finalising the detailed guidelines.
The MHA said the new rules were framed as “uniform transparent guidelines” after consultations with stakeholders, balancing national security requirements with the government’s objective of facilitating ease of doing business.
Applications for such projects will have to be submitted to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), which will forward them to the MHA and Ministry of Defence along with the in-principle approval of the concerned state government for land allotment. The proposal must include the precise latitude and longitude of the project site.
The MNRE will also ensure that land is allocated in a manner that prevents project infrastructure from extending over long stretches parallel to the International Border.
The guidelines impose additional restrictions on project personnel and land ownership. Engineers, employees, staff and labourers from countries sharing a land border with India, particularly Pakistan, Bangladesh and China, cannot be engaged in project implementation without prior approval from the central government.
Applicants will also need prior central government approval, including MHA security clearance, before transferring project land to a foreign company. Projects involving foreign investment will require a separate application to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the government’s foreign direct investment policy.
Security arrangements will be mandatory at project sites. Developers will have to install comprehensive security systems, including anti-drone equipment, with the costs borne by the project proponents. These systems will be operated by the Central Industrial Security Force or state police.
Each project will also require a dedicated police post to monitor construction activities. Foreign nationals entering project areas will be subject to monitoring, while project staff must undergo pre-verification and comply with instructions issued by the local police and the Border Security Force.
The MHA has also prescribed height limits for civil infrastructure in sensitive zones: 3 metres for areas between 1 km and 8 km from the border, 5 metres between 8 km and 20 km, and 15 metres between 20 km and 50 km.
The MNRE will communicate the final decision to project proponents only after receiving the MHA’s security clearance and the Defence Ministry’s NOC, where applicable.