West Bengal has approved 11 new police outposts in areas adjoining Bangladesh and Bhutan, along with 209 new personnel positions, in a move aimed at strengthening policing and curbing cross-border criminal activity, according to a report by Sanmarg – Kolkata.
Each proposed outpost will have 19 police personnel, comprising one sub-inspector, three assistant sub-inspectors and 15 constables. The new units are expected to increase police presence in remote border areas and improve local law-and-order coverage.
Alipurduar will receive the largest share of the new facilities, with seven outposts planned along the Bhutan border. The proposed locations are Hatipota in the Samuktala police station area; Pasakha under Jaigaon police station; Lankapara and Bandapani under Birpara police station; Hantapara under Madarihat police station; Sankosh under Kumargram police station; and Chuapara under Kalchini police station.
Three additional outposts are planned in Malda district, which borders Bangladesh. These include Lanagola and Pakuahat under Bamangola police station, according to the report. Another outpost is proposed at Tore in the Jaldhaka police station area of Kalimpong district, which is connected to the Bhutan border region.
The plan will expand the state’s operational presence in areas where settlements are dispersed and police stations may be located far from border villages. Officials said the outposts would make it easier for police to reach remote communities, conduct regular patrols and collect local intelligence.
The additional positions are intended to support the functioning of all 11 facilities. The sanctioned staffing pattern places supervisory and investigation responsibilities with the sub-inspector and assistant sub-inspectors, while constables will form the largest part of the local deployment.
The approval also places the construction of the outposts and the recruitment or appointment of personnel on the implementation timetable. The state government’s target is to make all 11 police outposts operational within the current year. The report did not specify the estimated construction cost, the land arrangements for each facility or the individual commissioning dates.
The locations span Alipurduar, Malda and Kalimpong, covering both the Bhutan-facing and Bangladesh-facing parts of northern West Bengal. In these areas, the effectiveness of the new units will depend on the completion of facilities and the deployment of the sanctioned staff at each site.
The immediate administrative steps are the construction of the proposed police outposts and completion of the personnel appointment process. The state has said it aims to bring all 11 facilities into operation within the year.
