All-weather fence along LoC soon

In a bid to eliminate infiltration from Jammu and Kashmir, the government is contemplating erection of a new “all-weather fence” along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan that can even withstand the harshest climatic conditions.

The proposal was discussed during the visit of Union Home Secretary R K Singh, who returned to New Delhi on Saturday evening from his two-day visit to the valley, sources in the government said.

Singh, along with Director General of Police Ashok Prasad and army officers, visited Cheema Post in Gulmarg sector of North Kashmir.

Every year nearly 83 km out of the 740 km of the fencing along the LoC especially in North Kashmir’s Gurez, Karnah, Kupwara and Gulmarg sectors gets damaged which allows militants to infiltrate into Kashmir and other parts of the state, the sources said.

The Home Secretary, according to the sources, was given an extensive presentation during his visit for having a permanent fence which could withstand all weather conditions.

This will bring down infiltration to zero as terrorists would not be able to take advantage of the damaged fence to infiltrate into the Valley.

Singh was also shown the pillars along the famous Gandola cable car which can withstand all weather conditions and opinion was given to have a similar mechanism along the LoC, the sources said.

The Home Secretary, according to the sources, appreciated the idea and said that he would send a team of engineers for working on the feasibility report for the project even though the army showed some reservations over the same.

The sources said the army highlighted that in case of permanent fencing, some of the villages in North Kashmir would fall outside it, raising concern among the people but the civilian administration opined that a gate could be constructed at such places which would be exclusively open for the ingress and egress of the people of this area.

The proposal, according to the sources, was the brain child of Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ashok Prasad.