STATE TIMES NEWS JAMMU: The State government agencies are running against the deadline set to construct 60 concrete bunkers across six blocks of Jammu district. In view of fresh incidents of cross-border firing across Samba Sector, these agencies have expedited pending works to ensure safety of border residents constantly living under the shadow of Pakistani guni. According to official sources, around 48 bunkers are ready while construction on a dozen community bunkers is still going on. The Union Home Ministry had Rs 3 crores at the rate of Rs 5 lakh per bunker under a pilot project. The construction work was started in March 2016 and is expected to be over by the end of this financial year. The sources added that 12 bunkers are ready in Pargwal, 10 in Marh, 9 in Suchetgarh, four in RS Pura, seven in Arnia and three in Akhnoor. These community bunkers are designed with separate hall, a bathroom and general cooking area to ensure safety of local residents in times of intense shelling. The delay was caused in completion of these bunkers due to faulty design and poor soil testing reports. In the initial stages when the bunkers were being constructed in Arnia, RS Pura the monsoon rains left them inundated.The construction agency had to redouble efforts and rectify designs to ensure timely completion of bunkers. A proposal for construction of as many as 20125 community type bunkers at various places along the International Border/LoC in Jammu Division stands submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for an amount of Rs 1006.25 crore.
