Srinagar, Nov 06 (KNO): Despite fresh assurances from Union Health Minister J P Nadda regarding the commencement of services at the under-construction All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Awantipora, residents across Kashmir have sought a definite timeline for making the institution functional, questioning how many more deadlines people will have to wait for before the premier healthcare facility starts serving patients.
Residents said repeated revisions in project completion and operationalisation schedules had eroded public confidence, with people now seeking concrete action rather than another set of assurances.
Their demand gained renewed significance after Nadda, during his visit to AIIMS Awantipora a day before, announced that OPD services are targeted to commence before December 2026, while IPD services are proposed to begin in July 2027. He also directed the concerned agencies to complete the remaining construction works by March 2027.
While appreciating the latest announcement, residents told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the government must ensure that the new timelines are strictly adhered to, particularly when the project has already missed several deadlines.
"Every few months, a new date is announced, but people are still waiting for the hospital to become functional. First, we were told that OPD services would start in 2025, then August 2026. Now, the deadline has shifted to before December. How many more deadlines will people have to hear?" residents questioned.
They said the institution was sanctioned with the objective of strengthening tertiary healthcare facilities in Kashmir and reducing the dependence of patients on hospitals outside Jammu and Kashmir, but the prolonged delay had defeated the purpose to some extent.
Residents also questioned the difference in the pace of operationalisation of the two AIIMS projects sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 — one at Vijaypur in Jammu and another at Awantipora in south Kashmir. "AIIMS Jammu has already been functional for the past two years, while people in Kashmir are still waiting for comprehensive services at AIIMS Awantipora. Both projects were sanctioned together, and people here also deserve the same level of healthcare infrastructure and timely delivery," they said.
They said Kashmir's geographical distance from major healthcare institutions outside the Union Territory makes the operationalisation of AIIMS Awantipora particularly important. Patients suffering from cancer, cardiac ailments, neurological disorders and other serious diseases often have to travel to Delhi, Chandigarh and other cities for specialised treatment, adding to their financial and emotional burden.
"For an ordinary family, travelling outside Kashmir for treatment is not easy. Apart from medical expenses, there are transportation, accommodation and other costs. Many families are already struggling financially. Had AIIMS Awantipora been functional, a significant number of patients could have received specialised treatment closer to home," residents said.
They stressed that the commencement of OPD services should be treated as an immediate priority and should not be delayed on account of pending work in other parts of the campus. "If the OPD block and other essential facilities are ready, there should be no reason to keep patients waiting. The authorities should start services in the completed portions while simultaneously completing the remaining infrastructure," they said.
During his November 5 visit, Nadda reviewed infrastructure development, procurement of medical equipment, recruitment of faculty and staff and preparedness for launching healthcare and academic activities. Officials informed him that all major buildings had been completed, while Phase-I infrastructure, including the OPD Registration Block, OPD Block, residential buildings and designated hostels, had been completed, with inventory verification and handover formalities underway.
The meeting was also informed that procurement approvals had been issued for 180 medical equipment items worth ₹59.41 crore, with notices of award issued for 140 items. Besides, the Ministry has approved the engagement of 652 personnel for OPD and related services.
Residents said the progress indicated that preparations for operationalisation were underway, but authorities must ensure that equipment installation, recruitment and other essential arrangements are completed within the announced timeframe. They also sought a public status report detailing the facilities that would be available when OPD services commence, including specialist departments, diagnostic services, laboratory facilities and emergency arrangements.
The project, sanctioned at an estimated cost of around ₹1,828 crore, envisages around 57 structures, including hospital and academic blocks, hostels and residential quarters. Once fully operational, it is expected to add around 1,000 beds to Kashmir's healthcare infrastructure, including 300 super-speciality beds, along with a medical college with an annual intake of 100 MBBS students and a nursing college with 60 seats.
The project was initially expected to be completed by January 2025, but the deadline was revised to November 2025. Operationalisation targets were later pushed to 2026, with officials earlier indicating that MBBS courses would begin in July 2026 and OPD services by August 2026. Both targets could not be achieved. The project has faced hurdles including land-related litigation, the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions following the abrogation of Article 370, issues concerning a nearby Army establishment, adverse weather and labour shortages.
Residents said they hoped the latest intervention would finally translate into the commencement of services, appealing to Nadda and the J&K administration to personally monitor progress and ensure accountability at every level. "People do not need another announcement or another foundation stone. They need doctors, diagnostic facilities, medicines and treatment. AIIMS Awantipora should now become functional on the ground, not remain a project discussed through deadlines," they said—(KNO)