SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday launched comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS) also known as "smart fencing" along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB) in Jammu, winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and asserted that border would be more secure now and casualties and stress among jawans would reduce due to introduction of new border management system.
"The CIBMS has been launched to make the border management more effective," Rajnath said after launching the CIBMS pilot project in Jammu. He said when he visited Israel, he saw this technology there and then after his return to the country, they decided to launch the project on border for securing the border. "Our main focus is to ensure fool proof security of our borders. And I think by introducing this technology on frontiers, our borders will be more secure. Our borders will become absolutely safe since it will virtually make it impossible for militants to breach it and infiltrate across the borders," he said.
The Home minister said the jawans had to be physically present on the border and conduct patrolling despite hostile weather conditions and fire and mortar shelling of Pakistani troops. "Due to Pakistani troops firing, our BSF men used to suffer casualties," he said, adding the border guards also used to give befitting reply to Pakistani troops firing. He said due to introduction of CIBMS, the dependence on physical patrolling would come down.
"Initially the CIBMS project will be implemented to cover gaps in the physical fencing on the border and subsequently these technological solutions will be implemented on the entire border. The CIBMS will be introduced effectively in 2026 kms vulnerable border areas," he said.
Rajnath said use introduction of new border management system would reduce casualties among jawans. "It will also help decrease stress among the jawans deployed on the borders."
He said it is a pilot project and its border management effectiveness would be monitored.
"After the feedback, the system will be made fool proof."
He said two pilot projects have been launched and another pilot project would be launched on 60 kms border in Assam in November. The two- pilot projects in 5 kms border stretch each along the IB in Jammu have been installed. They would be equipped with hi-tech surveillance that would create invisible electronic barrier on land, water and even in air and underground, helping the border guards detect the underground tunnels or infiltration of militants.
The CIBMS is designed to guard stretches where physical surveillance is not possible either due to inhospitable terrain or riverine borders.
According to Home Minister, CIBMS is a more robust border management system which is seamlessly integrating modern technology with human resource. If successful, it would turn out to be "game changer" for security forces and reduce to zero infiltration of militants into the State from across the border in Jammu region.
The CIBMS also known as smart fencing uses number of devices for surveillance, communication and data storage. Sensors like thermal imager, underground sensors, fiber optical sensors, radar and sonar will be mounted on different platforms like aerostat, tower and poles as part of the smart fence.A comprehensive integration of such sensors and other technical systems of communication and data processing have been achieved in the CIBMS project. The signals reach the Unified Command and Control Centre where the BSF can monitor the border on real-time basis.The new smart system would provide round-the-clock surveillance on the border during hostile weather conditions including dust storm, fog or rain.