A European nation has ordered for the modernisation of war shelters amid fears of a possible nuclear attack.
A law passed in 1963 states that everyone in Switzerland must have access to a dedicated shelter should conflict break out. It came into force during the Cold War as tensions heightened between the United States and Soviet Union.
The nation, famed for its neutrality, doesn’t even have its own army. But with fears of World War III rumbling on and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continuing, Switzerland looks set to ramp up its defences.
According to the Huffington Post, the Swiss government is preparing to invest in improving the war shelters, which have never actually been needed. The structures can be used by local families, foreign nationals and refugees.
The 1963 law resulted in a vast network of reception centres integrated throughout Switzerland. They are in private homes, apartment buildings or communal spaces.
Many of them have uses as well as being war shelters. They are often used as storage areas, wine cellars or leisure rooms.
But each one has thick concrete walls to provide a consistent temperature. And their primary purpose remains the same – to protect people should there be a missile attack or radioactive fallout.
Recent 10-year inspections however have found some of the shelters require improvement and need to be maintained. Some have jammed doors, blocked ventilation and obscured escape routes, which can result in a fine for the landowner.
It has led the Swiss Federal Council to propose increasing the budget for housing maintenance from nine to 15 million Swiss Francs from 2027. The money will help replace parts of the shelters, improve ventilation, and ensure they are fully functional in case war breaks out.
It is understood Switzerland has enough shelter space to accommodate its population but struggles with distributing the centres. Currently five cantons – the Swiss version of a county or borough – lack a shelter.
The nation is also a leading bunker designer, exporting its expertise to other countries across the globe. Many have turned to Switzerland to help them build their own protective spaces.
The Swiss cabinet hopes that investing in the war shelters shows it is taking steps to protect its population whatever happens. While the concept of nuclear bunkers themselves have gained attention as conflict rages on in various regions across the world.
“In the coming years, the (Swiss) Confederation wants to remove some of the exceptions to the current rules and update some of the older shelters,” Louis-Henri Delarageaz, civil protection commander for the Vaud canton told the Evening Standard.
Russia meanwhile is said to have begun making mobile bomb protection shelters that can house residents for up to 48 hours in case of a nuclear strike. Meanwhile some private firms have even begun offering their own luxury nuclear bunkers equipped with top of the range facilities.
