Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jan 25: The ambitious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) project in Awantipora has missed its January 2025 deadline, with nearly 25-30% of construction work still pending. Officials now project the completion of the institute within the next 6-8 months, provided the current pace of work is maintained.
The Union Government approved two AIIMS for Jammu and Kashmir in 2019—one in Jammu and another in Awantipora. While AIIMS Jammu has been completed and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, AIIMS Awantipora lags behind, with only 70-75% of the work completed.
According to officials, the delay is due to multiple challenges, including land acquisition disputes over access roads critical for transporting construction materials; post-Article 370 disruptions and restrictions; issues with a nearby army base delaying certain approvals and COVID-19 pandemic impacts and erratic weather conditions slowing down progress.
Despite these setbacks, construction has gained momentum over the past two years, an official said, adding that work on four academic blocks, several hospital blocks and hostel blocks is nearing completion.
The AIIMS Awantipora project, approved at an estimated cost of Rs 1,828 crore, involves the construction of 57 buildings, including a 1,000-bed hospital (300 super-speciality beds), a medical college for 100 students, a nursing college for 60 students, hostels, residential quarters, gardens with medicinal plants and sports facilities such as a football ground and tennis courts.
Residents of Awantipora and surrounding areas have urged the government to expedite the project, saying the region is in dire need of advanced medical facilities. They said patients in Kashmir face greater difficulties in accessing treatment compared to those in Jammu, who have easier access to facilities like AIIMS Delhi and PGI Chandigarh.
Locals said while both AIIMS projects were approved simultaneously, Awantipora is lagging behind in progress.
An official working on the project said, “Work is progressing at full speed and will be completed in 6-8 months. Efforts are underway to hand over the institute to the concerned authorities as soon as possible.”
Once completed, AIIMS Awantipora will boost Kashmir’s healthcare infrastructure by providing advanced medical services and reducing patient dependence on out-of-state facilities. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo recently said AIIMS Awantipora is expected to become functional by November this year.
