Bijbehara, May 24 (KNO): The work on a new 50-bedded building block of sub-district hospital (SDH) in Bijbehara town of Anantnag is yet to be completed after R&B department declared old hospital building unsafe after September 2014 floods.
In 2018, the then minister for rural development department and panchayati raj, Abdul Rehman Veeri laid the foundation stone of SDH Bijbehara with an estimated cost of Rs 14.47 crore. The hospital is being built by the Jammu & Kashmir Police Housing Corporation.
Medico posted in the hospital told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that after September 2014 floods, R&B department declared old hospital building unsafe, yet they have been operating from the same building.
“How come it is possible for doctors to work in such an unsafe building. The cracks in walls and ceiling are widening with each passing day and it has been declared unsafe by the R&B department,” a medico wishing anonymity said.
"If the work continues at snail’s pace it seems it may take many years to complete. We approached the health and Jammu and Kashmir Police Housing Corporation department and asked them to expedite work, but our repeated pleas have fallen on deaf ears", Iqbal Zargar, a local said.
The locals urged the government to direct the authorities concerned to ensure completion of the building at the earliest.
Jammu & Kashmir Police Housing Corporation authorities said that work is at standstill from last two months due to COVID-19.
“The work in the hospital building will be started soon,” they said—(KNO)