CM Omar Abdullah reviews AIIMS Awantipora progress, calls for timely completion

Awantipora, September 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a meeting at Awantipora, Pulwama, to review the progress of ongoing works at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Kashmir.

The Chief Minister, accompanied by Minister for Health & Medical Education Sakina Itoo, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM Dheeraj Gupta, Executive Director AIIMS Awantipora Dr. S. Mohanty, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, Secretary Health & Medical Education Dr Syed Abid Rashid, Deputy Commissioner Pulwama Dr Basharat Qayoom and representatives of executing agency NCC Ltd, inspected the site and took a detailed review of the project.

Reviewing the status of infrastructure development, procurement of machinery, workforce mobilization and allied works, the Chief Minister stressed that strict adherence to timelines is critical for commissioning this prestigious project. He directed the executing agency to expedite all pending works and ensure their completion within fixed deadlines.

Omar Abdullah emphasized that AIIMS Awantipora must be commissioned as a single integrated unit, with both OPD and IPD services made operational simultaneously for the benefit of the general public.

To facilitate this, he instructed the executing agency to fortnightly review status of the progress of works.

The Chief Minister also called upon the executing agency to mobilize additional manpower and machinery to accelerate the pace of work. He reviewed in detail the physical and financial progress of the project, including the construction of the main hospital building, priority building works, approach road, water supply, final master plan, routes to emergency department and other allied facilities.

He further impressed upon them the need to ensure proper stabilization of the surrounding areas, especially in view of the recent heavy rainfall and the institution’s location on hilly terrain.

Earlier, Executive Director AIIMS, Dr. Mohanty, briefed the meeting on the progress achieved so far, informing that MBBS courses are scheduled to commence in July 2026, while OPD and allied services are expected to become functional early next year, with the institution fully operational by the end of the same year.

Later, the Chief Minister inspected the site, the premises and perused master plan of the institution.