Fencing in Brahmaputra island to stop illegal activities NEW DELHI, Feb 24 As part of its ambitious plan to seal the entire Indo-Bangladesh border to stop infiltration and smuggling, the Central Government is erecting a 10-km-long fencing in one of the islands (char) of Brahmaputra, which has become a hub of all transborder illegal activities. This is for the first time that such a fencing, between Mantrichar and Masalabari, is being constructed in a char of soft soil and shifting sand that keep changing position and size due to the strong current of the river and erosion.
The fencing is an urgent necessity as the area has become a crucial crossing point for illegal migrants, cattle and ganja smuggling. The work is expected to be completed by March 31, a Home Ministry official said.
The project, estimated to be around Rs 25 crore, was a tough challenge for the National Building Construction Corporation as it was very difficult to ferry heavy machines, vehicles and equipments into the char by crossing over Brahmaputra and a few of its tributaries.
To ferry dumpers, road rollers, mixers and cranes, 60-foot-long barges were specially built. Each ferry was made by joining two barges and building a platform across the pair.
Materials were transported during May to October and stacked at site for consumption from November to April as working period was available only during that period of time.
Besides, travel time increases when the water level decreases in the river Brahmaputra. At times, boats get struck in the sands of river. Then loaded boats have to be emptied in the river so as to recover the boat from the struck position.
Ghat needs to be constructed at various levels in accordance with the increase/decrease in water level. Carrying capacity of boat gets drastically reduced during the time water is shallow in the river.
The fencing has been constructed over embankments. The scope of work broadly includes pitching/laying stone soiling of 300 mm thick. The protection at the toe of the embankment has been given with an apron of 60 cm depth and 1.50 mtr width with boulders crates along the length of the embankment.
Besides this, the scope of work include: composite fencing in deeper foundation, pipe culverts for fencing, slope protection work for earthen embankment, new IBB road, pipe culverts for roads, bailey bridges/causeway and cost of land acquisition for fence and road. PTI
