CRPF razes 16 bunkers across Srinagar city

SRINAGAR: CRPF on Tuesday demolished 16 bunkers across the Srinagar city. This marked the beginning of the implementation of confidence-building measures ( CBMs) which were projected as an “eight-point package”.

The decision to demolish bunkers was taken at the last meeting of the unified headquarters that was presided by Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah.

The state government had also decided to set free 52 stone-pelters, review the cases of 50 others detained under the Public Safety Act, pay half-a-million compensation to the families of 110 persons killed since June 11, besides starting the process of reviewing the list of disturbed areas in the state.

A huge crowd gathered near Magharmal Bagh where CRPF started removing its bunkers. Crowds watched the dismantling of the bunker that existed there for over 20 years.

Sand-bagged bunkers are the temporary dwelling units and observation posts from which security forces operate. Usually, they are surrounded by concertina wires with nets surrounding them. Small and medium guns protrude from small openings of these units that are ubiquitous across Kashmir.

Some of these bunkers, mostly located on the airport road and tourist spots, were given a makeover during Ghulam Nabi Azad’s regime, who had said they are ugly soars over the landscape that no tourist place can have.