Escalating tension between India and Pakistan is keeping border residents worried ahead of a harsh winter season in Jammu & Kashmir.
In the absence of start of construction work on individual/community bunkers along the line of control and International Border in Jammu division, the border residents are spending sleepless nights.
Over 14,000 community and individual bunkers were approved at a cost of Rs 415.73 crore for border residents facing Pakistani shelling in Jammu division.
A total of 13,029 individual bunkers and 1431 community bunkers were sanctioned to accommodate border residents during cross border firing.
On ground zero, the the border residents of most vulnerable areas, falling in the direct line of firing of Pakistan army, continue to wait for start of construction work.
"We are now tired of hearing big announcements regarding sanction of bunkers from Central Ministers and local BJP leaders but on ground zero the construction work is yet to begin in frontier Rajouri district", border residents of worst affected villages in Nowshera sector told The Pioneer.
Confirming the status of construction work of bunkers, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri Mohd Aijaz told The Pioneer, "the construction of bunkers is expected to begin soon after the fixation of rates in the district".
He said talks are going on to resolve the issue with the contractors. He said an estimated number of over 5000 bunkers were sanctioned by the central government for the frontier district. Under a pilot project as estimated 100 bunkers were constructed in the district during peak hostilities last year.
Meanwhile, Executive engineer, Public works Department (R&B) Division, Kathua Monday issued a warning to the contractors to start construction of bunkers within seven days time and complete the construction by December 2018.
At least 3076 individual and 243 community bunkers were sanctioned for Kathua.
According to official sources, the construction work of bunkers were sanctioned on political considerations,without ascertaining their credentials.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Rohit Khajuria said, "majority of contractors who have been awarded contracts are not adequately equipped to take up construction work of these bunkers in one go". He said they lack experience and do not even possess capacity to execute the task on this scale.
He said despite repeated reminders they have failed to start construction work on ground zero.
J&K Chief Secretary is monitoring the construction work of bunkers on weekly basis. These contractors have been directed to execute the task within stipulated time period failing which fresh tenders will be floated,official sources said.
Out of 14460 bunkers, 7298 bunkers would be constructed along the LoC in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, and 7162 underground bunkers would be constructed along the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts.