293 out of the sanctioned 1188 bunkers for Poonch district have been shifted to the rural development department after “poor response” from contractors, even after multiple tenders were issued by the public works department.
As per available details, union ministry of home affairs sanctioned 500 individual and 688 community bunkers for the people living along Line of Control in Poonch district.
“The bunkers were put to tendering and work on 325 individual and 570 community bunkers was allotted to contractors. But, 175 individual and 118 community bunkers found no takers,” highly placed sources in the administration said.
They said, “Although the number of bunkers which found notakers in Poonch is lesser than that in Rajouri, but the authorities wereforced to shift the remaining projects to rural development department.”
Pertinently, the rural development department has alsostarted work on the remaining 175 individual bunkers and 118 community bunkers.
Similar to Rajouri district, sources said, that the reasonsbehind contractors not opting to build the bunkers include poor sanctionedamount per unit and hilly terrains, which further escalate the constructionburden.
On being contacted, district development commissioner,Poonch, Rahul Yadav, said, “The bunkers, which found no takers during tenderingprocess, have been shifted to the rural development department.”
He added, “Around thirty bunkers have been so far completedin Poonch district. The administration is putting in all out efforts tocomplete work on the remaining bunkers. Hopefully, by June or July, all thebunkers will be ready.”