Amit Shah directs demolition of illegal structures within 15 km of international border

PTI, May 27, 2026, New Delhi : Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed authorities to strictly enforce a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against illegal constructions within 15 km of the country’s borders and demolish all such structures that have come up over the years.

Chairing a security review meeting in Bikaner on Tuesday, Shah assessed security-related issues concerning the border districts of Rajasthan along the India-Pakistan border.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has assigned enhanced responsibility to district magistrates to ensure legal and financial compliance of banking transactions in border areas by all banks, verify large business establishments, examine their funding sources, track mule accounts and fake companies, identify fake Aadhaar cards, and curb cross-border smuggling, officials said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, senior state officials, and district magistrates and superintendents of police of five border districts — Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Sri Ganganagar and Phalodi — were present at the meeting.

In a statement, the Home Ministry said border districts have been directed to carry out an in-depth study of the sources, patterns and networks behind crimes and the drug menace, and to develop lasting solutions so that these problems do not resurface.

Shah stressed the need to formulate a 360-degree security cover for every border district involving citizens, state machinery and security agencies.

The Home Minister called for strict enforcement of the zero tolerance policy against illegal constructions, particularly within 0 to 15 km of the international border, and ordered the demolition of all such structures, officials said.

He underscored the importance of a coordinated approach to border management involving the BSF, CBDT, NCB and state machinery to address issues of infiltration, narcotics smuggling, encroachment, terror financing and other trans-border crimes.

“Emphasis was laid on the successful implementation of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP)-II for strengthening last-mile governance, curbing economic crimes, fulfilling infrastructural gaps and supporting the border population,” the ministry statement said.

At the meeting, Shah also directed authorities to ensure 100 per cent saturation of all government schemes in border villages and called for effective use of the ‘1930’ cybercrime helpline.

“A review and feedback on these issues will be undertaken again after two months; therefore, the districts will have to ensure result-oriented action,” the statement said.

Relevant photo suggestion: A representative image of the India–Pakistan border fencing, BSF personnel patrolling, or a security review meeting chaired by the Home Minister would be appropriate for publication.