Amit Shah to begin three-day Bengal tour from Siliguri, border security in focus

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will begin his three-day visit to West Bengal from Siliguri on July 17, with a strong focus on border security, administrative review and the implementation of key government initiatives.

According to official sources, Shah will arrive at Bagdogra Airport on Friday evening and stay overnight at the BSF North Bengal Frontier headquarters at Kadamtala in Siliguri.

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On July 18, he will travel by road to the Jhumgachhi Border Outpost in Rajganj block of Jalpaiguri district along the Indo-Bangladesh border.

The visit is significant as the Home Minister will directly interact with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel deployed on the international border and hear their first-hand experiences in guarding the frontier.

At Jhumgachhi, Shah is scheduled to attend a Prahari Sammelan (assembly of border guards), where he will address BSF personnel on national security. He will also participate in a tree plantation programme, lay foundation stones and inaugurate several development projects for the BSF.

After completing the border programme, Shah will return to Uttarkanya, the branch secretariat of the West Bengal government in Siliguri, for lunch before chairing a series of high-level administrative meetings beginning at 2 p.m.

Officials said the meeting will be attended by district magistrates and superintendents of police from all the Indo-Bangladesh border districts of North Bengal, senior state government officials, representatives of related departments and officials of central agencies.

The overall security situation along the Indo-Bangladesh border will be reviewed during the meeting. Two important sessions have also been scheduled later in the day. One will review the implementation of the new criminal laws in West Bengal, while the other will focus on issues related to birth and death registration.

After the meetings at Uttarkanya, the Home Minister will return to Bagdogra and fly to Kolkata in an Indian Air Force aircraft. He will stay overnight at the Soujanya Guest House in Alipore.

On July 19, Shah will attend a law and order review meeting in Kolkata. He will then visit the National Library to inaugurate the newly constructed World Museum.

Later, he will attend another programme at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, where he is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the Amul Bengal Dairy Cart Plant.

The Union Home Minister is expected to leave for New Delhi later the same day. Throughout his visit, long-distance travel will be by Indian Air Force aircraft, while all local travel in North Bengal and Kolkata will be by road.