Jammu, May 12, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir Border Area Development Conference (JKBADC) on Tuesday expressed concern over the lack of public information regarding bunker construction projects in the border district of Poonch and urged the administration to maintain transparency on the status of the works.
In a statement, JK-BADC chairman Dr. Shazad Ahmed Malik said the Government of India had sanctioned substantial funds for construction of bunkers in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, as reflected in statements issued by Union ministers and reports available in the public domain.
He said the Centre’s commitment toward the safety and welfare of border residents was evident, but alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir administration and local authorities had failed to adequately inform people about the present status of bunker construction projects.
Dr. Malik said residents living along the Line of Control had a right to know how many bunkers had been completed, how many were under construction and how many projects were yet to begin.
“This is not information that people should repeatedly have to seek through appeals and requests,” he said.
The JK-BADC chairman called upon the district administration to issue monthly status reports on bunker construction so that accountability is maintained and border residents remain informed about the progress of the projects.
Referring to the shelling incidents witnessed in border areas during May 2025, Dr. Malik said bunkers had become the only source of safety for families living near the LoC during periods of intense cross-border firing.
“Men, women, children and elderly residents all took shelter in these bunkers during shelling. Those memories are still fresh among border residents,” he said.
He added that given the security situation and past experiences of civilians in frontier areas, delays or lack of transparency regarding bunker construction were causing concern among the affected population.
Dr. Malik urged the administration to treat bunker construction as an issue directly linked to civilian safety rather than as a routine developmental project.
He also demanded that details regarding expenditure and funds utilized for bunker construction should be placed in the public domain through the official website of the Poonch district administration. [KNT]
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