New Delhi [India], August 19 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will undertake a two-day visit to Siliguri in West Bengal this weekend and chair a high-level border security meeting aimed at enhancing coordination among security forces and agencies engaged in border management and security preparedness in the region.

During the visit, scheduled for August 21-22, the Home Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several projects aimed at strengthening border security and interact with personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Wednesday.

As per the schedule, officials said, Shah will arrive in Siliguri on August 21 and participate in a series of programmes focused on border security and management. He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for various projects related to border security, underlining the government's efforts to strengthen infrastructure and security mechanisms along the country's international borders.

During the visit, the Home Minister will also interact with the personnel of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which is entrusted with guarding 1,751 km of the India-Nepal border and 699 km of the India-Bhutan border. The interaction is expected to provide an opportunity to discuss operational challenges, border management, and the security preparedness of the force deployed in the region.

Siliguri holds strategic importance from the border security perspective as the corridor, which is nearly 60 km long and 22 wide, connects India's eight northeastern states with the rest of the country. Colloquially called the 'Chicken Neck', this narrow passage always posed a serious challenge. Wedged between Bangladesh to the south and west, and Tibet (China) to the north, the Siliguri corridor also links India to neighbouring Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.

Shah will later inaugurate an exhibition on the three new criminal laws enacted by Parliament to replace the colonial-era criminal justice framework. The three new criminal laws, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, came into effect from July 1, 2024.

The exhibition is expected to highlight key provisions of the three laws and their significance in transforming India's criminal justice system. The Centre has been undertaking awareness programmes across the country to familiarise citizens, law-enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders with the provisions of the new legislation.

On the morning of August 22, Shah will chair a meeting in Siliguri to review issues related to border security. The meeting is likely to focus on strengthening coordination among security forces and agencies involved in border management and assessing security preparedness in the region.

Officials said the review will also provide an opportunity to take stock of ongoing infrastructure and security-related initiatives.

The Home Minister's visit assumes significance amid the Centre's continued emphasis on securing India's international borders through improved infrastructure, enhanced surveillance, better coordination among security agencies, and modern technology.

The meeting is expected to be attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Director IB Mahesh Dixit, among other officials from the MHA and West Bengal. (ANI)