Funds spent, Harwan AYUSH hospital incomplete
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 4: Government said that the long-pending upgradation of Gousia Hospital in Khanyar, remains stalled due to an ongoing case in the High Court and unresolved land acquisition issues.
The disclosure was made by the Health and Medical Education Department in a written reply to a question raised by MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar in the Legislative Assembly.
The Government said the infrastructure upgrade of Gousia Hospital could not be taken up as the matter is sub judice before the High Court.
It also revealed that the property housing the hospital has not been fully acquired by the department.
At present, the department said, only the second floor and a portion of the first floor are being used for hospital services, while the ground floor, comprising 38 shops, continues to be occupied by tenants who pay rent to the Public Works (R&B) Department.
Despite these limitations, biomedical waste management is being carried out through transportation in coordination with a healthcare facility at Lassipora in Pulwama district, the reply said.
The Government further informed that construction of SR Gunj Hospital, approved for execution during 2023–24 through the R&B Department, is in its final stage.
The project has an estimated cost of Rs 270.28 lakh, of which Rs 166.98 lakh has already been spent, and is targeted for completion by August in the 2026–27 financial year.
The Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) Nishat is currently functional, providing services including OPD, ECG, X-ray, AYUSH care and a twice-weekly gynaecology clinic.
An additional floor has been completed at a cost of Rs 122.89 lakh, while further medical equipment is being added.
The Government also said that a Block Public Health Unit is being established at the facility under the PM-ABHIM scheme.
Regarding the 50-bedded Integrated AYUSH Hospital at Harwan in Hazratbal constituency, the Government said the project remains incomplete despite significant expenditure.
The project was sanctioned in December 2011 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at an estimated cost of Rs 750 lakh under a centrally sponsored scheme for development of AYUSH hospitals under the National Rural Health Mission.
It was later revised to Rs 677.43 lakh, and execution was authorized in January 2014 through the R&B Department.
A double-storey structure was constructed with an expenditure of Rs 461 lakh. However, work was halted following High Court proceedings in a public interest litigation related to the preservation of water bodies and lakes in Srinagar.
Subsequently, the Building Operations Controlling Authority (BOCA) rejected the building permission after it lapsed.
The Government said that while the main structure and trusses have been completed, several components, including installation of doors and windows, electrification, sanitary fittings and finishing works, remain pending.
It added that the matter has been examined at multiple levels for regularization and operationalization of the facility in view of public interest and the funds already spent.
However, the Housing and Urban Development Department maintained that the proposed use is not permitted under the notified Srinagar Master Plan and cannot be regularized post-facto.
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