Residents of Nambla area of Uri seek speedy construction of health centre

Baramulla: The residents of Nambla in the Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district voiced their concern over the stagnant construction of a Primary Health Centre (PHC) building, urging the UT administration to intervene and hasten the progress of the project.

Local residents said that the construction work on the PHC has come to a halt for several months now, leaving the under-construction hospital building vulnerable to decay and potential financial losses to the treasury.

The pause in construction has caused immense distress among the residents, who rely on the future completion of the PHC to cater to their healthcare needs.

Sarpanch of Nambla A, Muhammad Shafi, expressed his apprehension about the sudden suspension of construction. He said, “The entire population of the Nambla area in Uri is grappling with the repercussions of the halted project,” said Shafi.

In 2017, the authorities initiated the construction of a new Primary Health Centre, and the earlier hospital building was dismantled owing to its deteriorating condition.

The locals here said that while the executing agency managed to complete the basic two-story building structure, essential components like the roof and internal work remain unfinished.

Muhammad Shafi lamented that the construction work was stopped abruptly without any explanation. He stressed the potential risk of damage to the incomplete structure due to rainwater and snowfall, which could result in significant losses.

Muhammad Afzal, another resident, highlighted the plight of the old hospital staff, who are currently operating out of a cramped two-room rented accommodation

“The insufficient accommodation and lack of proper health structure are worrying locals here. The authorities need to solve the issue at the earliest,” emphasised Afzal.

The absence of a functional hospital building has forced local residents to seek medical assistance either at Government Medical College Baramulla or Srinagar, causing inconvenience and delays in accessing healthcare services.

The residents appealed to the Lieutenant Governor’s administration to intervene and ensure the expeditious completion of the pending work on the hospital building.

Tariq Ahmad, a local resident, emphasised the urgency of the situation and urged the administration to take swift action. “We appeal to the administration to intervene and ensure that the pending work on the hospital building is completed in a short time,” Ahmad stated, echoing the collective sentiment of the Nambla community.