Border bunker project moves at snail’s pace

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 15

Out of the total 14,460 bunkers to be constructed in the border areas along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in five districts of the Jammu region, the work on only 14 per cent has been completed so far.

On January 16, the state government had announced that 90 per cent of the border bunkers would be completed by June. Meanwhile, border residents continue to live under the fear of Pakistan shelling and firing.

“The state government has intimated about the construction of 2,054 bunkers, including 670 in Jammu, 670 in Samba, 547 in Kathua, 107 in Rajouri and 60 in Poonch. It has furnished the claims to the tune of Rs 25.65 crore, out of which we have reimbursed Rs 15.39 crore, which is 60 per cent of the amount claimed under the Security Related Expenditure scheme,” the Union Home Ministry said in response to an RTI application filed by Jammu-based activist Rohit Choudhary, who had sought information on the status of the bunker project in J&K.

In December 2017, the Centre had sanctioned Rs 415.73 crore to the J&K Government for the construction of 14,460 bunkers, including 1,431 community bunkers and 13,029 individual bunkers, along the LoC and the IB.

While 7,298 bunkers were sanctioned along the LoC in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, the construction of 7,162 underground bunkers was started along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts.

“In Poonch and Rajouri districts, only 167 bunkers out of the total 7,298 have been built along the LoC so far. Similarly, 1,887 have been constructed in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts,” it said.

The ministry, however, said, “In November last year, the J&K Government had approached the Union Home Ministry with an issue of the escalated cost for the construction of bunkers in these two districts and also about the reduction in the number of bunkers. The Union Home Ministry had permitted the state government to proceed with the construction of bunkers at these places at a higher rate subject to adherence to a transparent process of price discovery to be approved by the state government and limiting the total cost within the approved cost of Rs 415.73 crore.”

Recently, the Governor’s administration had even decided to approach the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for the grant of 10,000 more bunkers under the Security Related Emergency scheme.

The ministry has already flagged its concern over the delay in the construction of bunkers in border areas of the Jammu region in view of recurring incidents of shelling and firing from across the borders.

IN NUMBERS 

14,460 (1,431 community, 13,029 individual) total bunkers to be built

2,054 constructed till May 13 

7,298 structures were proposed for areas along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch. Only 167 constructed so far

7,162 were to be constructed in areas along the IB in Samba, Jammu and Kathua. Only 1,887 built so far