Border residents living in the direct line of fire of Pakistan guns are growing restive in the absence of start of construction work for community/individual bunkers along the line of control/International border across Jammu region.

Initially a pilot project of constructing 60 bunkers across Jammu region was sanctioned in December 2015 by the Union Home Ministry and Rs 3 crore was sanctioned, meaning Rs 5 lakh for each bunker.

Ironically, the State Government failed to complete the construction work of these bunkers till June 2017.

As situation along the border remained tense during 2017, the Union Government made a fresh assessment on the basis of fresh proposal submitted by the State Government to construct community/individual bunkers.

In December 2017, the Union Home Ministry accorded formal approval to start construction work of 14,460 bunkers and even Rs 415.73 crore was sanctioned but delay on the part of State Government agencies is further delaying the construction work on ground zero.

1,431 large community bunkers and 13,029 individual bunkers will be constructed in the districts of Samba, Jammu, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri.

In the first week of January 2018 the Union Government had directed the Central Agency like CPWD and NBCC (National Building construction corporation) to carry out the task.

Moving swiftly in the matter the Union Home Ministry had also directed the State Government to finalise the locations and submit the details as per the existing norms so that construction work could be taken up.

Last week when five members belonging to one family lost their lives in heavy exchange of firing in Balakote sector of Poonch the local villagers staged protest in front of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Deputy Chief Minister Prof Nirmal Singh to highlight their plight.

The family members were killed after they were hit by splinters of mortar shell exploded in their house.

While anger was brewing among the local residents for lack of accountability of the State Government in the matter, the Chief Minister announced construction of 15 community bunkers in Balakote area besides stationing of one bunker vehicle for the help of the local people.

Besides, she also announced strengthening of health facilities including a trauma hospital, road connectivity and other facilities in the area. In August 2017, the district administration in Rajouri had launched a similar project of constructing 100 bunkers from its own resources while projected a demand of over 6,000 individual bunkers to ensure safety of border residents living in the line of fire.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Monday, 26 March 2018 | Mohit Kandhari | Jammu