Floating outposts on Bangla border: Global bids invited

Under Home Ministry pressure, the Mazagon Dock Limited has invited global bids for building floating border outposts to be stationed along the highly porous Indo-Bangladesh riverine border in Assam.

Under Home Ministry pressure, the Mazagon Dock Limited MDL has invited global bids for building floating border outposts to be stationed along the highly porous Indo-Bangladesh riverine border in Assam.

MDL had earlier turned down a proposal by the Home Ministry which wanted the outposts to be built in Guwahati. The PSU had cited the lack of infrastructure in the Assamese capital for its inability to implement the project.

Bids have been invited for constructing six floating outposts on the Brahmaputra in Guwahati. On completion these would be ferried to the Dhubri-Goalpara sector. Each outpost, which is estimated to cost Rs 15 crore, is equipped with four patrol boats and the capacity to house a company of security personnel.

Sources said that it was of 8216;8216;utmost importance8217;8217; to efficiently police the over 50-km-long riverine border in that sector. 8216;8216;The BSF has to be equipped with the floating border outposts as there is no other option to check the illegal movement of people, including of terrorists,8217;8217; the source added. Plans to station floating outposts in the Northeast were finalised more than four years ago and a contract was signed with MDL for building three vessels in December 2001 in Kolkata. One post, meant for Assam, was to have been ferried to its location via Bangladesh. Despite repeated requests, however, the neighbouring country refused permission, forcing the Home Ministry to explore other alternatives.

The ministry8217;s plans to fence the Indo-Bangla border has also not proceeded along expected lines. A significant portion of the fencing erected during the first phase is in a dilapidated condition, necessitating the relaunch of the scheme.

The bids are likely to be finalised by July. MDL would provide the design and equipment to the firm and the first floating post would be readied within 18 months of the placement of order and the others at an interval of six months. Sources added that once the Dhubri-Goalpara sector was fully equipped,the possibility of stationing outposts at Karimganj in Assam would be explored.