Raja Syed Rather
Ganderbal, Nov 7: Almost a decade later, Maternity Hospital at Kangan in Ganderbal is still incomplete causing inconvenience to people.
The residents of Kangan have been waiting for the completion of the Maternity-cum-Child Care Hospital for the last eight years. The project, which is being executed by the J&K Housing Board at a cost of INR 27.66 crore, has missed multiple deadlines for completion since the construction began in 2014.
The building has been completed but the hospital lacks necessary medical equipment and other infrastructure.
According to details, the land for the hospital was identified in 2005 when Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Jammu Kashmir Housing Board was directed to execute the work on the hospital that was supposed to come up at an estimated cost of Rs 27.66 crores.
An official said that the establishment of the hospital was meant to provide residents with access to quality maternity and childcare services without having to travel to hospitals in other towns or cities. It was also hoped that the hospital would ease the influx of maternity patients from the area to hospitals in Srinagar.
“However, the delay in completing the hospital has left locals relying on the Sub District Hospital in Kangan, which does its best to provide maternity care, but can’t always meet the needs of patients with serious complications.”
Local residents of the area said that patients have to travel up to 100 kilometers to reach the Maternity Hospital in Srinagar, a journey that can be dangerous for those in critical condition.
CMO Ganderbal Dr Afroza Shah said that housing board has been delaying the project and all the funds from their side has been released and it’s up to the housing board now.
On his part, DGM J&K Housing Board Parvaiz Ahmad said that most of the work was delayed in the hospital because the department does not have the electric technicians and electric engineer and they are trying to arrange more men and will start work soon.
