5 years on, 50 bed Ayush hospital at Kulangam Kupwara nowhere in sight

Kupwara, Feb 16: The residents of Kulangam and other adjacent villages in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed resentment against the authorities for failing to complete the 50-bed Ayush hospital in their locality even after the passage of five years.

The residents said that this central-sponsored project being constructed under the National Ayush Mission was to be completed in 2022 but the authorities failed to accomplish the project much to the disappointment of the locals.

“Following approval, the construction was started in 2019 but even after the passage of over five years, authorities have failed to complete the construction of this hospital. Even though several deadlines have passed, the authorities are yet to complete the project,” a local from Kulangam said.

Another local said that the delay in the completion of the hospital had resulted in the cost escalation from Rs 7 crore to Rs 11 crore and if the work remains halted for more time, the cost escalation would go beyond Rs 11 crore.

The residents said that they had approached the concerned authorities several times to accomplish the project but to no avail.

They have now sought the intervention of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara Ayushi Sudan in this regard so that the project gets completed soon.

Meanwhile, Assistant Executive Engineer Housing Board Pirzada Muhammad Iqbal told Greater that they have submitted a fresh DPR of Rs 11 crore to Director Ayush a few months ago.

“Once the payment is released the construction work will resume,” he said.