After spending all his lifelong savings, Nagar Singh (60) constructed a house in Abdullian village which is a stone's throw away from the International Border, but he along with his family has spent more time in the bunkers than in his own house.
"After spending all the savings of my life I recently completed the construction of this house, but due to the continuous ceasefire violations from across the border, my family and I have spent more time in the bunkers than our house", Singh said.
"Bombs and bullets rain on our houses...Several houses and standing structures have been damaged due to the Pakistani shelling on our houses.
"We are alive only because of these border bunkers", said Shamsher Singh Chib, a resident of Korotana Khurd village that has been bearing the brunt of the recent ceasefire violations.
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The government has constructed over 43 community bunkers in Jammu district whereas 47 more are under construction.
He said that one community bunker can accommodate 20 persons at a time and such bunkers have been instrumental in saving several innocent lives during the periods of heavy ceasefire violations from across the border.
6-year-old Vicky Kumar, a native of Bihar, lost his life
when after spending the night with his family in a bunker he had come out to play in the open.
Jammu and Kashmir government has submitted a proposal to the Central government for setting up of over 20,000 bunkers at a cost of over Rs 1,000 crore in 448 border areas in the state.
"The revised proposal for construction of 20,125 community bunkers at an estimated cost of Rs 1006.25 crore in 448 identified border villages in the state has been sent to the Government of India," the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had said in J&K Assembly.
Border residents say the community bunkers have become a second home for them, which helps them save their family members from the cross border firing.
"These bunkers have become a second home for them, it is because of these bunkers that we are alive today and talking to you", Jagan Lal, a resident of RS Pura said.