Shillong, Aug 7: Meghalaya has made substantial progress in fencing work along the Indo-Bangladesh border with another 40 km remaining unfinished, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said today.
The State shares a 443km-long international border with Bangladesh.
Sangma said approximately 400 km have already completed and noted that the figures could vary by 10 to 15 per cent due to “ground-level complexities.”
“While 80 to 90 per cent of the border has been fenced, the remaining stretch—though relatively small — still poses a potential risk if not properly addressed,” the Chief Minister stated.
He acknowledged that challenges continue to persist in the areas where fencing is yet to be completed, primarily due to objections raised by local residents. Many of these concerns centre on land use for agriculture and traditional community purposes.
Sangma stated that while the state has been trying to accommodate these issues, certain demands for changes are beyond its purview. “This fencing initiative falls under national policy, and exceptions cannot be made as it lies outside the state government’s jurisdiction,” he said.
To address local resistance, discussions have been held at the Deputy Commissioners level, with efforts underway to resolve objections through dialogue and community engagement. The government has been consistently working with grassroots communities to find a way forward, he said.
He added that during a review held about six weeks ago, it was found that serious hurdles remain only along four to five kilometres of the border where public consensus has yet to be obtained.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Union Home Minister have been kept informed of the situation,” Sangma said.
He further stated that in areas where residents have now consented to the fencing, construction work will proceed at an accelerated pace. Most of the socio-political concerns have been resolved, and the remaining delays are largely administrative in nature—ranging from contractor finalisation to fulfilling procedural formalities.
