Officials optimistic about meeting 2024 deadline
SRINAGAR, OCT 02: The construction of the much-anticipated All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the Awantipora of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district is making significant strides, with officials expressing optimism about meeting the project’s ambitious deadline by the end of 2024.
Construction work is currently underway at a rapid pace, and officials are confident that if this momentum persists, the project will be completed as scheduled. However, it hasn’t been an entirely smooth journey to this point.
Earlier hurdles included a legal dispute over land acquisition for the access road necessary for transporting construction materials, followed by logistical challenges after the abrogation of Article 370, and complications arising from a nearby army base. The harsh winter season and the COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to the initial delays in executing this massive undertaking.
Nonetheless, in recent months, construction work has picked up significantly, and officials are determined to maintain this accelerated pace for the next year and a half to ensure the hospital’s completion by December 2024.
A top official involved in the project acknowledged that there were earlier issues causing sluggish progress, but these have since been resolved, leading to the current vigorous construction efforts.
At present, the focus remains on construction, with plans to address machinery installation at a later stage. Approximately 50 percent of the project has already been completed, and every effort is being made to finish the remaining work ahead of the government’s set deadline of December 31, 2024.
The AIIMS project, approved by the Central government in 2019 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,828 crore, encompasses the construction of around 57 buildings, including a hospital, hostels, residential quarters, sports facilities such as a football ground and tennis courts, and gardens featuring medicinal plants, among other amenities. Upon completion, the institute is set to augment Kashmir’s healthcare infrastructure with an additional 1,000 beds, including 300 super-speciality beds. The ambitious endeavor also includes the establishment of a Medical College to accommodate 100 students and a Nursing College to cater to 60 students, contributing significantly to the region’s healthcare and educational needs.
