TALWANDI SABO, APRIL 13 — Following sustained appeals from the Punjab government, the Centre has directed a relocation of the border fencing closer to the international boundary with Pakistan. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced Sunday that this move is expected to provide significant relief to thousands of farmers who currently navigate stringent security protocols to reach their land.
The Chief Minister stated that the current placement of the fence, often three to four kilometers inside Indian territory, has left vast tracts of farmland beyond the barrier. Under the new directive, officials are exploring shifting the fencing to within 300 meters of the zero line, effectively bringing lakhs of acres back into the interior side of the fence.
“With the Union Home Minister, we have raised this issue many times that for farmers living along the border, the fencing along the international border with Pakistan is placed three to four kilometers inside on the Indian side,” Chief Minister Mann affirmed. “As a result, their fields are left beyond the fence.”
Currently, farmers must adhere to a strict window between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to cultivate land across the barrier, subject to BSF frisking and supervision. The Chief Minister declared that the shift will eliminate these restrictive hours and repeated security checks, allowing for more flexible crop choices and improved productivity.
The administration has issued letters to Deputy Commissioners in the border districts of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, and Ferozepur. These officials, alongside Sub-Divisional Magistrates, will conduct surveys to demarcate the 300-meter zone required for the relocation.
Chief Minister Mann asserted that the change would also assist security forces by improving visibility along the actual boundary. He maintained that this decision represents a historic victory for the farming community along the 532-km border, ensuring they can finally cultivate their ancestral lands without daily hardship.
