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Punjab’s border farmers caught between fence and Zero Line

April 18, 2026 4 min read Internal Security Polity & Governance Geography GS Paper 3 (Internal Security Border Management)
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What Happened

  • The Central government has ordered a survey in six border districts of Punjab to assess relocation of the border fence closer to the actual international boundary (Zero Line) with Pakistan, following sustained advocacy by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann
  • The existing fence, erected during the militancy years of the late 1980s, runs up to 3 km inside Indian territory in some stretches — trapping approximately 21,600 acres of farmland in 220 villages between the fence and the actual Zero Line
  • Farmers in these areas currently face severe restrictions: they can access land beyond the fence only during fixed BSF-permitted hours and must return before 4 PM, and are searched on both entry and exit
  • Letters have been issued to Deputy Commissioners of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, and Ferozepur districts to conduct surveys for demarcating how close the fence can be moved
  • The relocation is expected to restore free agricultural access, improve farm productivity and incomes, and address long-standing grievances of border residents

Static Topic Bridges

International Boundary (IB) vs. Line of Control (LoC)

Punjab shares the International Boundary (IB) with Pakistan — a formally demarcated, legally recognised border under international law. This is distinct from the Line of Control (LoC), which is the de facto ceasefire line in Jammu & Kashmir that has not been formally recognised as an international boundary. The IB in Punjab is approximately 553 km long, while the LoC in J&K stretches about 740 km.

  • Punjab–Pakistan: International Boundary (IB) — demarcated, permanent
  • Jammu & Kashmir–Pakistan: Line of Control (LoC) — ceasefire line since 1972 Simla Agreement
  • Zero Line: the precise, actual international boundary line itself (as demarcated on the ground)
  • Border fencing in Punjab is deliberately set back from the Zero Line by 150 metres to 3 km for operational reasons

Connection to this news: The fence's set-back from the Zero Line is the root cause of farmers losing access to their own land — relocating it to near the Zero Line would restore sovereignty over Indian agricultural land without compromising security.

BSF Act 1968 and Border Jurisdiction

The Border Security Force Act, 1968 establishes the BSF as India's primary border guarding force. Under a 2021 amendment, BSF's operational jurisdiction in Punjab (and some other border states) was expanded from 15 km to 50 km from the international boundary. BSF controls access to the border belt including the land between the fence and the Zero Line.

  • BSF established: December 1, 1965 (post-1965 India-Pakistan war)
  • BSF Act, 1968 — statutory basis for the force
  • 2021 amendment: BSF jurisdiction expanded from 15 km to 50 km in Punjab, West Bengal, and Assam
  • BSF controls gates in the border fence and determines hours of farmer access
  • CRPF handles internal security; BSF handles border guarding

Connection to this news: The restrictions on farmer access derive directly from BSF's operational control of the fenced border belt. Any fence relocation would need to be coordinated with BSF operational procedures and security norms.

India-Pakistan Border Fencing — History and Context

India began erecting border fencing along the Punjab border with Pakistan in the 1980s as a counter-insurgency and anti-infiltration measure during the period of Punjab militancy. The fence was not placed at the Zero Line but set back into Indian territory to allow BSF patrols on both sides of the fence. This created a strip of Indian agricultural land that became inaccessible to farmers without security clearance.

  • Punjab border fencing: begun in the 1980s during the Khalistan militancy period
  • Total India-Pakistan IB fencing: approximately 2,000 km (spanning Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat sectors)
  • Fence set-back: 150 metres to up to 3 km inside Indian territory in different stretches
  • Six affected districts: Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Ferozepur
  • Affected area: ~21,600 acres across 220 villages

Connection to this news: The proposed relocation addresses a decades-old anomaly where a security measure meant to protect Indian territory paradoxically denied Indian farmers access to their own land, with the fence's placement being a product of 1980s operational decisions rather than permanent policy.

Key Facts & Data

  • Punjab shares an International Boundary (IB) — not LoC — with Pakistan (~553 km long)
  • Zero Line: the actual demarcated international boundary on the ground
  • Fence set-back: up to 3 km inside Indian territory in some stretches
  • Affected farmland: ~21,600 acres across 220 villages in 6 districts
  • Districts surveyed: Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, Ferozepur
  • Current farmer restriction: access only during BSF-permitted hours; must return before 4 PM
  • BSF jurisdiction (post-2021 amendment): 50 km from international boundary in Punjab
  • BSF Act enacted: 1968
  • Border fencing begun: late 1980s (during Punjab militancy period)
  • Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann's advocacy led to Centre ordering the survey