No progress on bunkers in Uri a year after Operation Sindoor
Zaffer Iqbal
Uri, Apr 06 (GNS): Almost a year after Operation Sindoor, underground bunkers remain absent in villages along the Line of Control in Uri sector of Baramulla district, leaving residents exposed to the risk of cross-border shelling.
The operation, conducted on the night of May 7-8, 2025, had heightened security concerns in the area. Residents of forward villages say that despite official assurances, no tangible steps have been taken to construct the promised bunkers.
Locals from multiple villages said there has been no ground activity even as the anniversary of the operation nears. “Nearly a year has passed, but not a single bunker has come up. During shelling, we have no safe shelter,” said a resident of Darkote talking to GNS.
In Charunda, residents pointed out that a few community-bunkers built in 2020 are now unusable. They cited waterlogging and lack of basic facilities as major issues. “These bunkers cannot be used. There are no proper arrangements inside. Our safety is still uncertain,” a resident said.
Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Silikote, said that the existing bunkers in the area are in a dilapidated condition. “A few bunkers were constructed years ago, but they have not been maintained. They are no longer fit for use,” he said.
The Uri administration recently stated that more than 80 overhead protection trenches have been created in vulnerable areas to provide temporary shelter. However, residents said these trenches cannot replace underground bunkers.
“Trenches may help for a short time, but they cannot withstand intense shelling. We need proper underground bunkers,” said a resident of Kamalkote. “Each time tensions rise, we are forced to flee or take unsafe shelter.”
Earlier this year, then Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Minga Sherpa, had announced that over 500 bunkers were sanctioned for the Uri sector by the Ministry of Home Affairs in coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department. Construction was expected to begin from April 2026.
Residents, however, said no work has begun so far. “There is no sign of construction on the ground. The announcement has not translated into action,” said Manzoor Ahmad of Hathlanga.
Residents have urged authorities to speed up the process, saying the continued absence of bunkers puts lives at risk in the border belt.
“Bunkers are discussed only when tensions escalate. They should be built during calm periods when construction is feasible,” said Bashir Ahmad, a resident.
Officials in the district administration said overhead trenches have been developed in parts of Uri, but indicated that construction of underground community bunkers will take more time. (GNS)
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