(MENAFN- IANS) Bhuj, Nov 6 (IANS) A team of 30 senior IPS officers, led by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, will visit various villages along the India–Pakistan border in Kutch on Thursday to conduct a detailed review of the region's security and developmental landscape.

According to official sources, the visit aims to assess ground realities and foster direct interaction with villagers living near the border.

The delegation's schedule includes meetings with Sarpanches, locals, women, and youth, focusing on key areas such as health, education, infrastructure, sanitation, and security.

State HM Sanghavi, who arrived at the Bhuj Circuit House earlier in the day, will hold multiple review sessions before proceeding to the border villages.

The team will also hold night "khatla" meetings, informal interactions with villagers to understand their day-to-day concerns and gather feedback on government initiatives. A special meeting with BSF officials has been organised to discuss border security, anti-national activities, and patrol operations.

He will also hold an open dialogue with BSF personnel stationed along the frontier to gauge on-ground challenges.

In a unique initiative, the Deputy CM and senior officers will spend the night in local Bhungas (traditional mud houses) instead of government guest houses, symbolising solidarity with the villagers and a commitment to understanding their lifestyle and hardships firsthand.

Border security in Gujarat is crucial because the state shares a long and sensitive 508-km international border with Pakistan, spread in the Kutch district and coastal areas. This region includes desert terrain, marshlands like the Rann of Kutch, and a vast coastline, making it vulnerable to infiltration, smuggling, and illegal cross-border activities.

Gujarat's strategic location also makes it a key hub for defence installations, ports, and energy infrastructure, which require constant protection.

Ensuring strong border security not only safeguards national sovereignty but also helps maintain peace, prevent terrorism and espionage, and protect the livelihoods of people living in border villages who serve as the nation's first line of defence.

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