NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will undertake a two-day visit to Siliguri on August 21-22, during which he will chair a high-level meeting to review border security and assess the preparedness of security forces and agencies operating in the strategically important region.
According to officials in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Shah will arrive in Siliguri on August 21 and attend a series of programmes focused on strengthening border management and security infrastructure. He is scheduled to inaugurate several projects and lay foundation stones for new initiatives aimed at improving security arrangements along India’s international borders.
The Home Minister will also interact with personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which is responsible for guarding 1,751 km of the India-Nepal borders and 699 km of the India-Bhutan borders. The interaction is expected to focus on operational challenges, border management and the force’s preparedness to deal with emerging security concerns.
Siliguri assumes particular strategic significance because of its location along the narrow corridor connecting the northeastern states with the rest of India. The roughly 60-km-long and 22-km-wide stretch, popularly known as the “Chicken Neck”, is bordered by Bangladesh to the south and west and Tibet (China) to the north, while also providing connectivity to Nepal and Bhutan.
Shah will later inaugurate an exhibition showcasing India’s three new criminal laws - the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. The laws replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act and came into force on July 1, 2024.
The exhibition will highlight key provisions of the new legislation and their implications for India’s criminal justice system. The Centre has been organising awareness programmes to familiarise citizens, law-enforcement agencies and other stakeholders with the new legal framework.
On the morning of August 22, Shah will chair the border security review meeting in Siliguri. The discussions are expected to examine coordination among security forces and government agencies, assess preparedness and review the progress of ongoing infrastructure and security initiatives.
The visit comes as the Centre continues to focus on strengthening border security through improved infrastructure, enhanced surveillance, modern technology and closer coordination among agencies.
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Mahesh Dixit and senior officials from the MHA and the West Bengal government are expected to attend the review meeting.
