Jammu: The Centre has given sanction for construction of over 14,400 underground bunkers at a cost of Rs 415.73 crore for safety of people living along the LoC and the International border in Jammu division.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is minister-in-charge (Home), said this in a written reply in the Assembly.

She said the Union home ministry gave sanction for construction of bunkers in December last year and steps have been initiated to fulfil various conditions before taking up the construction work.

The Union ministry has asked the government to specify building norms for all areas up to five kilometre from the border and priority be given to bunkers which are nearest to the existing Border Out Posts.

The other conditions included that every bunker should be within three kilometre from the border and first line of sight from the IB and the LoC first priority (zero to one kilometre), second priority (one to two kilometres) and third priority (two to three kilometres), the chief minister said.

She said the Centre has also said that the project would be funded on reimbursement basis through security-related expenditure (rehabilitation and relief) as it relates to relief and rehabilitation of individuals besides it must be ensured the work has not been funded by any other source or scheme of the government.

The Centre has also demanded that the work would be executed as per norms, due procedure be followed during execution and central agency like Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) be engaged, Mehbooba said.

In response to another part of the question about clearance of liabilities on account of previous constructed bunkers, the chief minister said there is no pending liability on this account.

“As reported by divisional commissioner, Jammu, against the approved outlay of Rs three crore for construction of 60 bunkers in Jammu district, the project has been completed and an amount of Rs 2.945 crore stands spent, she said. (PTI)

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