Rs 1000 cr project for 20,000 concrete bunkers along IB, LoC

Jammu: With 26 people killed and 158 injured in Pakistani shelling along Indo-Pak border last year, the government said a proposal for construction of as many as 20,125 community type bunkers at various places along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu division has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs at a cost of Rs 1,006.25 crore.
"Security was augmented in border areas and anti-infiltration grid strengthened. Police deployment was increased and adequate security provided in the border villages to ensure protection of property," the Home department said in a written reply to the question of NC MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar in Assembly.
"Vehicles were fitted with sirens and public address system to make border population aware timely, in the event of exigency," she said, adding uninterrupted power supply was provided to border villages during the night hours.
Bullet-proof bunkers and ambulances were kept at stand by at convenient locations for evacuation of persons in case of emergency, the CM said.
"Police control room (PCR), Jammu, worked as a helpline to provide assistance and give correct information to the public," she said.
Mehbooba said the majority of the people have returned to their homes in view of the harvesting seasons of kharif crops after improvement in the situation on the border.
On the issue of the bunkers in border areas, she said a proposal for construction of as many as 20,125 community type bunkers at various places along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu division stands has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs at a cost of Rs 1,006.25 crore.
"However, the Ministry of Home Affairs, has approved construction of 60 concrete community type bunkers at Rs five lakh per bunker, in the border block of district Jammu for an amount of Rs 300 lakh as 'Pilot Project'. The construction work is in progress. Up to ending December, 2016, an amount of Rs 176.87 lakh has been spent," she said.
As many as 26 people were killed and 158 injured in Pakistani shelling along Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir during past two years, the Assembly was told today.
216 structures were also damaged in the cross-border shelling during the period, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said in a written reply to a question of NC member Ali Mohammad Sagar.
"9 people were killed in Poonch, followed by 7 each in Jammu and Samba districts, 2 in Rajouri and one in Kathua," she said.
Among the injured, 91 people were in Jammu, 31 in Poonch, 13 in Kathua, 12 in Samba, 8 in Kupwara and 3 in Rajouri, the CM said.
In all Rs 26 lakh were paid as compensation to the next of kin of those killed in shelling, she said, adding Rs 6.70 lakh and Rs 42.35 lakh have been paid to injured and for damages respectively.