Modi Government Launches Largest Fencing Project on Myanmar Border: Key Details

Fencing Project on Myanmar: The Modi government has started the process to build a fence along the largest stretch of the India-Myanmar border so far, covering a distance of 83 km in Arunachal Pradesh.

As per sources has accessed documents, BRO last week asked the technical consultants to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) and feasibility study, and provide pre-construction activities for the erection of the fence and a track along the 83-km stretch of the Indo-Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh.

Only 10 km of the India-Myanmar border is fenced in Moreh in Manipur, 20 km in Manipur was fenced recently.

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This will be the longest border fencing on India-Myanmar border so far.

As per sources, this project will cover 83 km between Border Post (BP) 168 to BP-175 in Arunachal Pradesh.

BRO last week asked technical consultants to prepare detailed project report (DPR) and feasibility study and provide pre-construction activities for the fencing and track along 83 km of Indo-Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh.

Home ministry has also asked Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to expedite the preparation of DPRs for fencing projects and fencing work.

Arunachal Pradesh has the longest border with Myanmar at 520 km, Mizoram 510 km, Manipur 398 km and Nagaland 215 km. Total India-Myanmar border is 1643 km which is mostly unfenced.

For over a year now Manipur is reeling under ethnic violence and tension which has claimed over 200 lives. So the government first scrapped the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar this year and then approved in-principle a Rs 31,000 crore project to fence the entire Indo-Myanmar border.

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Under FMR, citizens of both the countries could venture 16 km into each other’s territory without any documentation.

The border is notorious for arms, ammunition and narcotics smuggling and the porous border is the reason for ethnic violence in Manipur.

The porous border is also believed to have brought in huge number of illegal immigrants from Myanmar leading to demographic changes in Manipur and poppy plantations in the hills of Manipur. So the home ministry decided to start fencing and scrap the FMR.

Tribal organisations in Manipur including Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) are opposing the fencing project saying it would harm the social, cultural and economic ties between the tribal communities who live on both sides of the border.

Recently NPF (BJP’s ally) also opposed fencing of India-Myanmar border in Naga areas of Manipur.

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