SRINAGAR: India has sanctioned construction of 14,460 underground bunkersat a cost of over Rs 415 crore for the security of people living close tothe LoC and the International border in Jammu, Chief Minister MehboobaMufti said on Wednesday.
She said the government would specify the building norms for all areas upto5 km from the border. “Priority shall be given to bunkers, which are nearthe existing border outposts.”
“Every bunker should be within three km of the border and in the first lineof sight from the IB and the LoC—first priority (0-1 km), second priority(1-2 km) and third priority (2-3 km),” she said.
“The project will be funded on a reimbursement basis throughsecurity-related expenditure as it relates to relief and rehabilitation ofindividuals. Besides, it must be ensured the work has not been funded byany other source or scheme of the government,” she said.
Mehbooba said the state government would submit a detailed list with theexact location of large community bunkers and a list of individual bunkers.
Construction of bunkers has been a long-pending demand of border residentswho have to migrate to safer places during cross-border firing and shelling.