New Delhi: In a key to upgrade the security infrastructure along the India-Pakistan border, the Prime Minister’s Office has now cleared an ambitious plan to construct sophisticated “residential bunkers” for the civilian population living in villages near the international border and LoC. PMO sources said this was needed after repeated truce violations by Pakistani forces, that have seen a sharp rise since the NDA government came to power.

What is even more alarming is that the Pakistani forces are now deliberately targeting civilian areas with heavy shelling in the last few months. On an average over 1,000 people have had to be evacuated every time Pakistan has resorted to firing on villages near the border. In addition, many innocent lives have been lost and several people have been critically injured.

The Centre will now acquire land near the villages where state-of-the art bunkers will be built to protect the civilian population, though these will also be available for the security forces.

Read: Pakistan violates ceasefire again, fires on 13 border outposts

Bunkers closer to villages, officials said, will minimise casualties or injuries as local residents can immediately rush to the safety of these bunkers once the Pakistani Rangers start firing close to their homes.

“Over the past few months there has been a certain pattern to Pakistan’s ceasefire violations. They are deliberately hitting at innocent villagers who have to be shifted to safer locations in wake of the heavy firing and this leads to inconvenience for the villagers, the civil administration and security forces,” a senior official said.

Sources said that the Centre plans to acquire nearly 3,100 acres at different locations close to the border where such bunkers can be constructed.