In a region where border fencing projects routinely get stuck over terrain, legal challenges, land ownership and diplomatic complexities, Meghalaya has achieved remarkable success on the border it shares with Bangladesh.
The state shares a 443-km international border with its eastern neighbour. These stretches pass through East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills. Nearly 400 km of this border has already been fenced, leaving just 40-45 km pending.
That means Meghalaya is now within touching distance of completing one of the Northeast’s most significant border infrastructure projects.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma recently underscored the scale of the achievement, stating that nearly 400 km of fencing has already been completed and that only about 40-45 km remains. Significantly, he noted that the unfinished portion is no longer being held up by construction challenges. According to the Chief Minister, most of the delay is linked to local issues and objections in the remaining stretches.
In comparison to other border-fencing projects across India, Meghalaya’s initiative is nearly 90 per cent complete.
Considering that the Bangladesh border is India’s longest international boundary, spanning 4,096 km, Meghalaya’s position stands out.
West Bengal accounts for 2,217 km of the border, Tripura 856 km, Meghalaya 443 km, Mizoram 318 km and Assam 262 km. While every state faces its own set of challenges, Meghalaya is among the very few that can now see the finish line.