Srinagar, Sep 25 (KNO): Around 75 per cent of the work on the 50-bedded hospital in Pahalgam has been completed, while the process of obtaining revised administrative approval for the project is underway, Health Minister Sakeena Itoo informed the Assembly on Friday.
The minister, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), was responding to a question by Pahalgam MLA Altaf Ahmad Wani on the status of the hospital project.
The Health and Medical Education Department had accorded administrative approval for the hospital's construction in March 2020 at a cost of Rs 19.90 crore. The project includes the hospital building along with civil, electrical, mechanical and allied works.
Itoo said Rs 16.75 crore has been released for the project so far. Of this, Rs 10.53 crore had been spent till March 31, 2026, while an additional Rs 33.31 lakh has been spent during the current financial year.
She said the project has achieved nearly 75 per cent physical progress and the remaining work is being taken up on priority.
According to the minister, the DG set has been commissioned and handed over, while the laundry system, Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) are at the commissioning stage. Installation of the hospital lift is also underway, and the remaining mechanical and electrical works are being pursued for completion.
Explaining the delay and cost escalation, Itoo said an additional basement had to be incorporated owing to the site's topography and variations in ground levels. This increased the built-up area and required additional structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical and allied works.
She added that higher equipment and installation costs after the Covid pandemic also contributed to the increase in the project's overall cost.
The minister said efforts are underway to arrange the additional funds required for completion of the hospital and that the project is being monitored regularly at the departmental level.
She said the process for revised administrative approval has already been initiated and will be considered after the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) is received from the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, and scrutinised.
Replying to a supplementary question on the proposed upgradation of the Primary Health Centres at Pahalgam, Sallar and Aishmuqam into Sub-District Hospitals, Ms Itoo said no such proposal is under consideration.
She said the department is currently focused on strengthening existing healthcare infrastructure rather than creating additional facilities beyond prescribed norms.
The minister added that Jammu and Kashmir already has a higher number of Sub-District Hospitals than stipulated under the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS)-2022 norms—(KNO)