Gujarat divides Pakistan border policing into two ranges: what changes and why

📌 Summary:

• Gujarat (June 4) split its International Border (IB) with Pakistan into two police ranges, creating the new Banaskantha Range alongside the existing Border Range — the state's 10th police range

• The existing Border Range (created May 20, 1995 from the Rajkot Range) covered the entire Pakistan border: 406.87 km land + 238 km marine = 645 km, across Kutch (West/East), Patan and Banaskantha

• New Banaskantha Range covers Banaskantha, Patan and the new Vav-Tharad districts (bordering Pakistan to the west, Rajasthan to the north), headquartered at Palanpur under a separate IG-rank officer; Rajkot Range retains upper Saurashtra districts

• Rationale: after the May 2025 Operation Sindoor conflict with Pakistan, Vav-Tharad was carved out as a new district (Oct 2025); officials say splitting eases the Border Range IG's load for better border management, supervision and coordination

• Key security concerns cited by DGP KLN Rao: protecting workers in energy and solar parks near the border, managing border villages and migration, patrolling the IB, curbing drug trafficking, and coordinating with BSF and Indian Coast Guard

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Internal Security — border management, administrative restructuring of border policing, inter-agency coordination (BSF, ICG)

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Gujarat's Pakistan border: 406.87 km land + 238 km marine = 645 km total
• Banaskantha Range (HQ Palanpur) is Gujarat's 10th police range; Border Range was created in 1995
• Vav-Tharad district was carved out of Banaskantha after Operation Sindoor (May 2025)

🔑 Key Term: Police Range — an administrative unit grouping multiple police districts under an Inspector General (IG), used for supervision and coordination of policing.