In the wake of frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan across the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities in the state have initiated construction of underground bunkers and community halls to facilitate the safety of residents along the border.

The officials of the Rajouri district in J&K will be constructing over 5,500 underground bunkers and 200 community halls as well as "border bhawans" to help the settlements along the border survive the brunt of Pakistani shelling and firing.

The Union Ministry and the state government have already approved the project which is expected to cost Rs 153.60 crore and is targetted to be completed in the current financial year.

"A total of 5,196 bunkers are being constructed in seven blocks along the 120 km long stretch of LoC. These include Sunderbani, Qila Drahal, Nowshera, Doongi, Rajouri, Panjgrain and Manajakote," an official spokesman said.

He also added that over 260 community bunkers and 160 community halls were also to be constructed in villages located 0-3 km distance from LOC.

The bhawans to be constructed will be designed to accommodate over 10,000 people.

The government had also announced the construction of 14,460 individual and community bunkers at a cost of Rs 415.73 crore for people living along the LoC and IB in Jammu region in December last year.

Over thousands of people across the International border in Jammu and Kashmir moved out of&nbsp;their homes in the last few days to escape heavy shelling by the Pakistan forces.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

The officials of the Rajouri district in J&K will be constructing over 5,500 underground bunkers and 200 community halls as well as "border bhawans" to help the settlements along the border survive the brunt of Pakistani shelling and firing

In the wake of frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan across the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities in the state have initiated construction of underground bunkers and community halls to facilitate the safety of residents along the border. The officials of the Rajouri district in J&K will be constructing over 5,500 underground bunkers and 200 community halls as well as "border bhawans" to help the settlements along the border survive the brunt of Pakistani shelling and firing. The Union Ministry and the state government have already approved the project which is expected to cost Rs 153.60 crore and is targetted to be completed in the current financial year. "A total of 5,196 bunkers are being constructed in seven blocks along the 120 km long stretch of LoC. These include Sunderbani, Qila Drahal, Nowshera, Doongi, Rajouri, Panjgrain and Manajakote," an official spokesman said. He also added that over 260 community bunkers and 160 community halls were also to be constructed in villages located 0-3 km distance from LOC. The bhawans to be constructed will be designed to accommodate over 10,000 people. The government had also announced the construction of 14,460 individual and community bunkers at a cost of Rs 415.73 crore for people living along the LoC and IB in Jammu region in December last year. Over thousands of people across the International border in Jammu and Kashmir moved out of their homes in the last few days to escape heavy shelling by the Pakistan forces. (With inputs from PTI)

J&K ceasefire violations: Bunkers, community halls to be constructed along IB to safeguard residents

The Indian government has decided to expedite the building of bunkers along the Jammu and Kashmir border with Pakistan.

The bunkers are meant for civilian populations.&nbsp;

There has been heavy loss of life and property in recent months because of the increased cross-border shelling.&nbsp;

As compared to a total of 228 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in 2016, there were a staggering 503 such ceasefire violations till October 3 this year.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ceasefire-violations-in-jk-already-more-than-double-last-year-infiltration-on-upswing-too-21007" target="_blank">Also read: Ceasefire violations in J&amp;K already more than double last year, infiltration on upswing too</a>

The government has also decided to give special emphasis to the development of border areas falling within a 10-kilometre radius of the International Border and the Line of Control while selecting projects under the Border Area Development Program.

This was decided after Jammu &amp; Kashmir&#39;s Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday.&nbsp;

Over the past few weeks, several Indian civilians have been killed or seriously wounded by shelling from across the border. &nbsp;

On October 3, the Indian government had summoned Pakistan&rsquo;s deputy high commissioner Syed Haider Shah and lodged a strong protest with him over the deaths of three Indian children in what the government said was an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces a day earlier in the Poonch sector.

India had conveyed to Pakistan at the time that such &ldquo;deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices&rdquo;.&nbsp;

Following Mufti&#39;s meeting with Rajnath, the government has also decided to fast-track projects under the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Development Package (PMDP) by making encumbrance-free land available for infrastructure projects related to roads, power and health.

&ldquo;Under the Prime Ministers&rsquo; Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir (Rs 80,068 Crores) for 63 major Development projects pertaining to 15 Central Government Ministries, an amount of Rs 62,599 Crores (approx. 78%) has been sanctioned and an amount of Rs 22,042 Crores (approx. 28%) has been released,&rdquo; the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement Thursday.

And in a bid to further reach out to the Kashmiri masses, the government has also decided to accelerate development projects related to additional jobs for Kashmiri migrants, transit accommodation, transfer of cash relief/honorarium through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode and providing employment to youth of J&amp;K. &nbsp;

By October this year, the number of ceasefire violations was already more than double that of last year

The Indian government has decided to expedite the building of bunkers along the Jammu and Kashmir border with Pakistan. The bunkers are meant for civilian populations. There has been heavy loss of life and property in recent months because of the increased cross-border shelling. As compared to a total of 228 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in 2016, there were a staggering 503 such ceasefire violations till October 3 this year. Also read: Ceasefire violations in J&K already more than double last year, infiltration on upswing too The government has also decided to give special emphasis to the development of border areas falling within a 10-kilometre radius of the International Border and the Line of Control while selecting projects under the Border Area Development Program. This was decided after Jammu & Kashmir's Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday. Over the past few weeks, several Indian civilians have been killed or seriously wounded by shelling from across the border. On October 3, the Indian government had summoned Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner Syed Haider Shah and lodged a strong protest with him over the deaths of three Indian children in what the government said was an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces a day earlier in the Poonch sector. India had conveyed to Pakistan at the time that such “deliberate targeting of civilians was not acceptable and was against humanitarian norms and practices”. Following Mufti's meeting with Rajnath, the government has also decided to fast-track projects under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) by making encumbrance-free land available for infrastructure projects related to roads, power and health. “Under the Prime Ministers’ Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir (Rs 80,068 Crores) for 63 major Development projects pertaining to 15 Central Government Ministries, an amount of Rs 62,599 Crores (approx. 78%) has been sanctioned and an amount of Rs 22,042 Crores (approx. 28%) has been released,” the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement Thursday. And in a bid to further reach out to the Kashmiri masses, the government has also decided to accelerate development projects related to additional jobs for Kashmiri migrants, transit accommodation, transfer of cash relief/honorarium through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode and providing employment to youth of J&K.

J&K: As cross-border shelling increases, govt accelerates building of civilian bunkers

Pakistani troops shelled, heavily, areas along the LoC in Rajouri district for the second consecutive day today, causing heavy damage to buildings and forcing the&nbsp;evacuation of 1,000 border dwellers.

The Indian Army effectively retaliated.

Pakistan Army had yesterday pounded civilian areas and forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera area with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three.

&quot;Pakistani Army has resorted to indiscriminate firing of small arms, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 0645 hours along the Line of Control in Rajouri sector&quot;, a Defence Spokesman said.

&quot;The Indian Army posts are retaliating strongly and effectively. The firing is presently on&quot;, he said.

Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal Choudgary said fresh ceasefire violation has been reported in &#39;chitibakri&#39; area of Chingus in Rajouri today.

&quot;Heavy shelling started in Manjakote area of Rajouri at O620 hours. More than seven villages have been affected&quot;, the DC said.

Choudhary said there was massive damage to buildings.

He said the number of migrants at relief camps swelled to 978 overnight. Till now 259 families have been evacuated from three villages, he added.

51 schools in Nowshera sector have been closed for an indefinite period while 36 in Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for three days. 4,600 students study in 87 schools, he added.

After the Pakistani shelling, 1000 people were evacuated from various areas along the LoC in Rajouri district to safer places.

&quot;Risking their lives officials and police evacuated 996 people from various shelling hit villages and shifted them to various camps established by district administration where facilities of ration, cooking, drinking water, sanitation, first aid and proper accommodation have been provided,&quot; Choudhary said.

So far, three camps have been made operational and 28 others notified in wake of expected migration from affected villages, Choudhary said.

&quot;Six ambulances have been pressed into action for shifting of injured and treatment. One mobile medical unit was stationed at Nowshera and another deputed to forward areas,&quot; he added.

Around 120 officers from various departments have been deployed to organise facilities at relief camp.

The district administration has provided immediate relief and financial assistance to the next of kin of the deceased and to the injured, he said.

A control room has been established in the office of SDM Nowshera for coordination.

The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year.

The ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force in November 2003.

(PTI)

Two civilians had been killed and 3 injured in cross-border firing on Saturday

Pakistani troops shelled, heavily, areas along the LoC in Rajouri district for the second consecutive day today, causing heavy damage to buildings and forcing the evacuation of 1,000 border dwellers. The Indian Army effectively retaliated. Pakistan Army had yesterday pounded civilian areas and forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera area with mortars, killing two civilians and injuring three. "Pakistani Army has resorted to indiscriminate firing of small arms, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 0645 hours along the Line of Control in Rajouri sector", a Defence Spokesman said. "The Indian Army posts are retaliating strongly and effectively. The firing is presently on", he said. Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal Choudgary said fresh ceasefire violation has been reported in 'chitibakri' area of Chingus in Rajouri today. "Heavy shelling started in Manjakote area of Rajouri at O620 hours. More than seven villages have been affected", the DC said. Choudhary said there was massive damage to buildings. He said the number of migrants at relief camps swelled to 978 overnight. Till now 259 families have been evacuated from three villages, he added. 51 schools in Nowshera sector have been closed for an indefinite period while 36 in Manjakote and Doongi zones have been closed for three days. 4,600 students study in 87 schools, he added. After the Pakistani shelling, 1000 people were evacuated from various areas along the LoC in Rajouri district to safer places. "Risking their lives officials and police evacuated 996 people from various shelling hit villages and shifted them to various camps established by district administration where facilities of ration, cooking, drinking water, sanitation, first aid and proper accommodation have been provided," Choudhary said. So far, three camps have been made operational and 28 others notified in wake of expected migration from affected villages, Choudhary said. "Six ambulances have been pressed into action for shifting of injured and treatment. One mobile medical unit was stationed at Nowshera and another deputed to forward areas," he added. Around 120 officers from various departments have been deployed to organise facilities at relief camp. The district administration has provided immediate relief and financial assistance to the next of kin of the deceased and to the injured, he said. A control room has been established in the office of SDM Nowshera for coordination. The government had last month said that Pakistani security forces had violated the ceasefire 268 times in the last one year. The ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into force in November 2003. (PTI)

Kashmir: 1,000 people evacuated from along LoC

India and Pakistan confirmed separately on Tuesday that cross-border shelling by the two countries has killed at least 19 people.&nbsp;

 
Tensions have been high in the region since a militant attack on an Indian army camp in Uri, Kashmir left 19 soldiers dead, and prompted&nbsp;&ldquo;surgical strikes&rdquo; by New Delhi against militants in Pakistan.

 
The two South Asian nations have been blaming each other for violating a 2003 ceasefire amid sour diplomatic relations following the recent tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats.

 
Both sides are at loggerheads, disputing each other&rsquo;s versions&nbsp;on violence in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir following the death of &nbsp;Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July.

 
According to Reuters, Pakistani officials confirmed that at least four people were killed and five injured in its part of Kashmir on Monday, as the two nuclear-armed neighbours exchanged heavy fire concentrated in Pakistan&#39;s Nakyal sector along the Line of Control.

 
&quot;It appears as if a full-blown war is going on between India and Pakistan,&quot; Mohammad Saeed, a resident of the village of Mohra in the region, told Reuters.

 
&quot;Please have mercy and stop it,&quot; he said,

 
Six people were killed and 10 injured in Nakyal and the adjacent Tatta Pani sector last Friday and Saturday, Pakistan said.

 
On the Indian side of the Line of Control, seven people, including three women and two children, were killed on Tuesday in mortar shelling by Pakistan along the Ramgarh sector.

 
On Monday, an Indian soldier and a civilian died in firing in the Rajouri sector on the Line of Control.

 
(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

'It appears as if a full-blown war is going on between India and Pakistan,' say residents

India and Pakistan confirmed separately on Tuesday that cross-border shelling by the two countries has killed at least 19 people. Tensions have been high in the region since a militant attack on an Indian army camp in Uri, Kashmir left 19 soldiers dead, and prompted “surgical strikes” by New Delhi against militants in Pakistan. The two South Asian nations have been blaming each other for violating a 2003 ceasefire amid sour diplomatic relations following the recent tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats. Both sides are at loggerheads, disputing each other’s versions on violence in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir following the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July. According to Reuters, Pakistani officials confirmed that at least four people were killed and five injured in its part of Kashmir on Monday, as the two nuclear-armed neighbours exchanged heavy fire concentrated in Pakistan's Nakyal sector along the Line of Control. "It appears as if a full-blown war is going on between India and Pakistan," Mohammad Saeed, a resident of the village of Mohra in the region, told Reuters. "Please have mercy and stop it," he said, Six people were killed and 10 injured in Nakyal and the adjacent Tatta Pani sector last Friday and Saturday, Pakistan said. On the Indian side of the Line of Control, seven people, including three women and two children, were killed on Tuesday in mortar shelling by Pakistan along the Ramgarh sector. On Monday, an Indian soldier and a civilian died in firing in the Rajouri sector on the Line of Control. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Kashmir: At least 19 killed in cross-border firing, India & Pakistan confirm