File Photo: BSF personnel patrolling a section of the International Border
Nearly 11 years after the border in Jammu and Kashmir was fenced with barbed wire, the government has now begun the process of building a wall 10 meters high and 110 km long to prevent infiltration, and protect locals from shelling across the border.
The wall, called 'border embankment' for strategic reasons, will be built along the 110 km stretch of the Kathua-Jammu region is going to be 135 feet wide. A proposal to construct 80 additional border posts has also been approved.
"This is one of the priority areas. We have told the state government to that we should acquire the land. We expect it to complete the acquisition process within five-six months," Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Pawan Kotwal told NDTV.
Officials say, out of 118 villages, in the districts of Kathua, Samba and Jammu authorities have completed land acquisition in 106 villages. In all over 1600 acres of land is being procured at a cost of Rs 104 crore.
Locals living along the border, however, feel building a wall is not the solution to protect them from the shelling from across the border. The fence and subsequently the wall have all been built some distance behind the border. At some places, they are just meters from the zero line, the actual border line on which Pakistan refuses to have any construction. At other places, the fence has been built kilometers behind the zero line, and locals are allowed through the fence to their farms.
"If they really want to help us then let them build it right on the zero line. After building the wall, the shells will directly land on our homes," says Nank Chand, a resident of Hiranagar village. Villagers claim they have still not been compensated for the land already taken over by the BSF for border fencing and construction of border posts.
Bharat Bhushan, a village head and leader of the Border Welfare Committee feels the embankment will only complicate the problem further. "We are being forced to migrate time and again because of the firing. We want peace and it cannot come through a wall" he said.
BSF officials claim that a second line of fence will be very effective in securing the borders. "There are some systems for strengthening the border management and border infrastructure. Many proposals are under active consideration including making a bund," BSF Inspector General Rakesh Sharma told NDTV.