Jammu: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Friday informed that All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Awantipora, will be functional by the eleventh month of this year.
An official press release informed that Dulloo held a meeting of AIIMS Awantipora, Health & Medical Education, PWD, Jal Shakti and CPWD regarding early completion of this vital health facility in the region.
Those who attended the meeting included Executive Director, AIIMS, Awantipora, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Secretary, PWD, Secretary, H&ME, Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Chief Engineer, CPWD, DG, Budget besides others.
The Chief Secretary assessed the status of physical infrastructure raised at the site, so far, along with proposed dates of its completion. He enquired about the current status of labourers available for execution of work there and impressed upon the agency to enhance their number immediately after the winter season is over.
He also reviewed the water supply scheme and the approach road leading to the institute. He directed the Jal Shakti Department to complete the first phase of the WSS including 3 bore wells and other allied works by May this year for providing adequate water supply to the hospital to become functional.
Dulloo further assessed the additional land and other requirements for future expansion of this project. He enquired from the Executive Director about any of the pending issues deserving administrative support and simultaneously assured him of all possible assistance.
Executive Director (ED), AIIMS Awantipora, Dr Sachidananda Mohanty, provided an overall scenario of the readiness of this facility along with the possible dates of completion of each block. He revealed that the institute has achieved overall physical progress of about 61% on all the 57 blocks to be raised here. He gave out that the institute is possibly going to be made functional by the end of November this year.
The meeting was further apprised of the detailed labour force deployed in the completion of each block. It was said that due to cold weather conditions, the labourers had migrated and only internal works are currently going on with the presence of around 850 skilled/semi-skilled/unskilled labourers which earlier used to be around 2400-2500 under fair weather conditions.
It was further disclosed that the work is going on all 6 hospital blocks, 4 academic blocks, 16 residential blocks, and 12 hostel blocks along with Ayush block besides the night shelter and guest house, which are part of this medical college and hospital of the national repute.
