Punjab zeroes in on ‘bunkers’: Underground parkings, basements, gurdwaras

“As it is escalating every passing day, we have mapped parkings, schools, gurdwaras and other places in case we need to shift residents to a safer place. We have conducted the drills already to ensure that we are able to act fast in case of an exigency,” a Deputy Commissioner of one of the border districts told The Indian Express.

The senior official added that the security has been beefed up at vital installations, power grids and at places which are vital for channels of communications.

For this departments such as PWD, railways, education, rural development, health, transport, fire, animal husbandry, and public relations have been activated.

The government has prepared a list of vulnerable points.

Seven police districts including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Batala, Amritsar Rural, Taran Tarn, Ferozepur and Fazilka have been asked to maintain strict vigil along the border.

A close coordination is being maintained by the state police and administration with the Border Security Force and the Army authorities, a government official told The Indian Express.

Border villages are on high alert and evacuation plans are in place.

The government has cancelled the leave of all IAS, IPS officers and employees.

Those already on leave have been asked to report to work.

The educational institutes have also been closed.

A government official told The Indian Express that the Deputy Commissioners had carried out an extensive exercise to identify the places that could be used as shelters in case of an attack.

“As always, gurdwaras will come to the rescue of evacuees, if needed,” said an official.

He added that there was no advisory on not choosing any religious place after attack on a gurdwara in Poonch a few days ago, Sources said that Punjab does not have any bunkers or bomb sheds for public.

“These were never needed. Underground parkings, basements do the work. If need be, we will set up temporary camps also. However, in Punjab, everyone has a relative in other parts of the state, considered safe. Usually, the residents of the border districts send women and children to relatives’ houses in safer districts, only male members stay back. Only they need to be evacuated at the last minute, a senior official told The Indian Express.

Another official said that alert has been sounded in the whole of the state and active operations are being carried out by police
including night domination op-erations.

Also checking of hotels, railway stations, bus stands, crowded places, malls, security of vital installations is being done.

He added that Punjab Police has deployed specialised forces (SOG Hits, SSG and Ghatak teams) with bullet-proof vehicles at the border.

Second line of defence has been strengthened by 73-well equipped nakas on strategic points in coordination.

Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha was in touch with the Western Command at Chandimandir, said the official In border districts, DIG Ranges, DCs and SSPs have also conducted several meetings.

As many as 14 additional armed companies of Punjab Police have been deployed in bordering districts of Punjab for border area security and security of army installations.

State level control room and district level control rooms have been set up for ensuring seamless communication.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said that Punjab was fully prepared to tackle any exigency.

“We had started preparing soon after the Pahalgam ter ror attack. We have 1100 beds ready in tertiary care. In the secondary care district hospitals, we have readied 2-4 ventilators each. The ambulances are being upgraded to be equipped with life support system. The doctors have been asked not to leave station and stay put at headquarters till the further orders. What’s app groups have been formed. Private hospitals and doctors have also been roped in.”

The government has launched an extensive exercise to ensure safety of residents even as the government has yet not ordered evacuation of the residents.

The deputy commissioners had ordered blackouts in almost all districts of Punjab on Thursday night and drones were intercepted in a few cities.