All India Institute of Medical Sciences to be started in Kashmir’s Awantipora area. Rs 1828 crore has been sanctioned by the government for the establishment of this renowned institute

Government of India has set January 2025 deadline to complete the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in south Kashmir’s Awantipora area. Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey told Parliament, “All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Kashmir will be completed in January 2025 and AIIMS Jammu by January 2023.”

He informed that the approved cost for AIIMS Kashmir is Rs 1828 crore (18.28 billion), of which Rs 42 crore (420 million) have been released so far.

BJP-led Central Government had approved two AIIMS like institutes in both regions of Jammu and Kashmir to be set up at Awantipora in Pulwama district in Kashmir and Vijaypur in Jammu’s Samba district.

According to the undertaking given by the State government, J&K government had to ensure hassle-free access to both sites, provide land and pay compensation to land owners whose land will be acquired either for development of roadway or for any other purpose. However, the land acquisition and removal of bottlenecks have hampered the pace of work on both projects.

“In a bid to overcome the impediments the J&K government has now sanctioned Rs 87 crore (870 million). This would meet the obligation of the government to acquire land and structures, “said a senior official of Finance Department. He said that J&K Government has also made provision of these funds in the budget 2019-20.

According to an official of the Health Department, 1886 kanals and 5 marals (235.75 acres) land at Awantipora and 1954 kanals and 6 marlas (244.25 acres) land in Jammu stand transferred and handed over to the Central Public Works Department—executing agency of these projects.

While CPWD has taken up construction of boundary wall around the AIIMS in Awantipora, no access road to the site is putting the pace of work in jeopardy.

Courtesy: Greater Kashmir