Gujarat govt bifurcates border range, new Banaskantha Range to strengthen policing along Pak border

In a significant administrative restructuring aimed at improving policing and surveillance in Gujarat’s border districts, the state government on Thursday announced the bifurcation of the existing Border Range and the creation of a new Banaskantha Range headquartered in Palanpur.

The decision was formalised through a Home Department resolution issued on June 4, following a proposal submitted by the Director General of Police (DGP) and Chief Police Officer of Gujarat.

According to the government resolution, the existing Border Range, headquartered in Bhuj, currently comprises four districts, West Kutch, East Kutch, Patan and Banaskantha, all of which share a land border with Pakistan. Officials noted that the range spans nearly 550 kilometres geographically, making supervision and operational monitoring increasingly challenging.

The government said the vast jurisdiction, coupled with the recent formation of the Vav-Tharad district and the considerable distance between Kutch and the northern districts, necessitated the creation of a separate range to ensure more effective policing and administrative control.

Under the new arrangement, the newly created Banaskantha Range will consist of Banaskantha-Palanpur, Patan and Vav-Tharad districts, with its headquarters located in Palanpur.

Meanwhile, the restructured Border Range will comprise West Kutch-Bhuj, East Kutch-Gandhidham and Morbi districts. Morbi, which was previously part of the Rajkot Range, has been transferred to the Border Range due to its geographical proximity to Kutch.

As a result of the reorganisation, the Rajkot Range will now include Rajkot Rural, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Surendranagar districts.

Officials said the existing Border Range oversees approximately 406.87 kilometres of international land border with Pakistan and 238 kilometres of coastline, making it one of the most strategically important policing jurisdictions in the state. The extensive area has often posed challenges in maintaining effective command, control and law-and-order supervision.

The Home Department stated that the restructuring was undertaken after considering operational requirements, geographical realities and the growing administrative workload in border districts.

The resolution was issued with the approval of the state government and in the name of the Governor of Gujarat. Senior police officials, including the DGP, Additional Director General of Police (Administration), and the Inspector Generals of the Border, Rajkot and newly created Banaskantha Ranges, have been informed of the decision.

Police officials believe the creation of the Banaskantha Range will enhance coordination, strengthen border security management and improve law enforcement response across northern Gujarat’s border districts.