Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jul 14: The main entrances of several hosptials, especially tertiary care ones in Kashmir, including SMHS, SKIMS, LD, and Bone and Joint Hospital, have turned into virtual choke points, with unregulated vendors, e-rickshaws, auto rickshaws, and street food sellers, crowding the gates, causing massive traffic jams and severely hampering emergency movement.
Despite repeated complaints from patients, doctors, and hospital staff, no effective action has been taken by the authorities to regulate the chaos.
“The entire entrance of SMHS remains jam-packed throughout the day. E-rickshaws are parked in double lines, auto drivers solicit passengers loudly, and masala roti sellers block parts of the road. This is a hospital, not a market,” Shazia Bano, a patient from Baramulla who visits SMHS regularly for treatment, said.
Emergency vehicles often find it impossible to reach hospital gates without delays. Ambulance drivers say that even critical cases are forced to wait outside the gates for clearance.
“We waste precious minutes honking and requesting vendors and auto drivers to move aside. In cases of cardiac arrests or trauma injuries, even a few minutes can cost lives,” said Fayaz Ahmad, an ambulance driver posted at SMHS.
Doctors, too, expressed frustration over the persistent problem. “There have been instances where we were unable to enter the hospital quickly due to the blocked gates. It hampers timely care and causes unnecessary distress to staff and patients alike,” said a senior surgeon at SMHS Srinagar.
The problem isn’t limited to just one hospital. The main entrance of LD Hospital in Srinagar witnesses constant chaos, with masala roti stalls drawing huge crowds, spilling onto the road. E-rickshaws, autos and even other vehicles often remain parked haphazardly, leaving barely any space for movement.
Rubeena Jan, a pregnant woman from Anantnag visiting LD, said, “I had to get down far from the hospital gate and walk all the way through a crowd of vendors and autos while in pain. It was very distressing.”
However, the patients and doctors said they are not against anyone, but proper regulation is a must, especially on gates.
Health officials admit the issue but say enforcement is a challenge. “We have written to the local authorities multiple times seeking regulation of traffic and removal of unauthorised vendors outside hospital gates. It poses a serious threat to emergency services,” they said.
Patients, attendants and health officials have urged concerned authorities to step in urgently and include dedicated no-vending zones near hospital gates, regulated parking for autos and e-rickshaws, and strict enforcement of movement corridors for ambulances.
“Healthcare centres must be treated as sanctuaries for the sick, not commercial hubs. The situation is unacceptable,” they said.
Unless swift action is taken, the growing encroachment threatens to turn vital healthcare centres into daily battle zones—for space, safety, and life, they added.
