SRINAGAR – In occupied Kashmir, the Indian Army is accelerating work for installation of a ‘smart fence’ to replace the existing border fence at the Line of Control, The Hindu reported. The new fence has undergone trials, which have been termed successful.
The existing fence, constructed between 2003 and 2005, consists of two rows of concertina wire loops. A senior officer told The Hindu that the old fence had “high rate of degradation” from snow and needed repairs every season. The repairs cost Rs 500-600 millions every year, the officer said.
The new fence, a proposal for which has been in the works for some time, will enable round the clock real-time surveillance.
For trial, the army installed the fence on a 50km stretch and will implement the project for erecting the fence all along the LoC through Army Corps of Engineers, the officer told newspaper.
“The smart fence stretching about 700 km will have enhanced surveillance features with sensors integrated and also has better survivability,” the officer added. The new fence is expected to cost around Rs one billion.-Online
