AIIMS Kashmir project delayed

Srinagar, Nov 10: The ambitious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) project in south Kashmir, designed to enhance healthcare services, is unlikely to meet the government’s deadline of January 2025.

Spanning 221 acres, the project was approved in 2019 at an estimated cost of Rs 1828 crore.

Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd (NCC) is the executing agency for this prestigious institute.

Despite ongoing construction, the project is expected to miss its initial deadline.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Ajaz Batla, Manager of Administration and Liaison at NCC, said, “Almost 70 percent of the total work has been completed.”

He said that they had accelerated efforts and expected to complete the project by June 2025, after which it will be handed over to AIIMS authorities.

Comparison with AIIMS Jammu

Contrary to this, AIIMS Samba in Jammu, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last February, has become operational and is significantly ahead of its counterpart in Kashmir, even though both projects commenced construction in 2019.

All 42 buildings on the AIIMS Samba campus are complete, and nearly 60 percent of the sanctioned faculty positions have already been filled.

Both the Out-Patient Department (OPD) and indoor services are functional.

The project was executed swiftly and completed within five years without cost overruns, thus avoiding any additional burden on the State exchequer.

According to an official, there were challenges during the construction, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the team successfully overcame them.

In recognition of these efforts, the Centre awarded AIIMS Jammu the “Best Project” during the 170th CPWD Annual Day, with the award presented by Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

AIIMS Jammu’s Executive Director and CEO, Prof Shakti Gupta praised Arcop Associates Pvt Ltd for their exceptional support in designing the project, and Ahluwalia Contracts (India) Limited (ACIL) for their outstanding contribution to the construction, ensuring quality control throughout.

The AIIMS Samba project is situated on a sprawling 227-acre campus along the Delhi-Katra Expressway and includes a hospital, academic block, public buildings, and residential complexes for students and faculty.

Delay and Challenges Faced

Batla cited several factors contributing to the delay in executing the AIIMS Awantipora project, including extreme weather conditions, legal disputes over the acquisition of an approach road, and issues with the local Army unit.

“Migrant labourers return to their native places as winter approaches, making it challenging to find a workforce,” he said.

However, Batla said that all bottlenecks, including concerns regarding labour and issues with the local Army camp and residents, had been resolved.

An official said that while all structures had been erected, a significant amount of interior work remains.

“The work on four academic blocks, several hospital blocks, and hostel blocks is nearing completion,” the official said, assuring that these buildings would be handed over soon.

He said that the six-lane approach road was also recently macadamised.

Last December, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin, noted in a written reply that 44 percent of the work had been completed since 2019.

Following recent directives from the Health Ministry, the construction company has intensified its efforts to expedite the progress.

The project includes the construction of approximately 57 buildings, comprising a hospital, hostels, residential quarters, a football ground, tennis courts, and gardens featuring medicinal plants, among other facilities.

Once completed, the institute will increase Kashmir’s healthcare capacity by adding 1000 beds, including 300 super-speciality beds.

The ambitious project also encompasses a medical college with a capacity of 100 students and a nursing college with a capacity of 60 students.

However, an official said that the delay in the completion of the project had led to cost escalation.

“As the project continues to jump deadlines, it has resulted in cost overrun worth crores of rupees,” he said.

First Batch of MBBS Likely By Mid-2025

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Director of AIIMS Kashmir, Dr Sachi Mohanty confirmed that the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), responsible for the construction, aims to finish the remaining work by early 2025.

By the current progress, he said, the institute was on track to admit its first batch of MBBS students by mid-2025, with the academic session set to begin around June or July.

“The MBBS course will be launched only on the permanent campus, with no reliance on temporary or makeshift facilities,” Dr Mohanty said.

Several administrative and technical positions have already been advertised, and he assured that faculty recruitment will begin soon, ensuring the institution is ready to function at full capacity when the academic year starts.

“We have resolved the issues that caused the delay, and with continued support from the people and the government, we are set to welcome our first batch of students next year,” he said.

AIIMS Jammu admitted its first batch in 2020, facilitating academics on temporary and transit campuses.

Although the same plans were announced for AIIMS Kashmir, the logistics could not fructify, an official said.