WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: Union Health Minister J P Nadda will inaugurate the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Awantipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday, marking a major milestone in the establishment of the region’s first AIIMS.
The inauguration of the first phase of the institute comes after years of delays in construction and infrastructure development; the project is expected to strengthen specialised healthcare, medical education and research facilities in Kashmir.
The institute is being developed as a 750-bed tertiary-care hospital under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), with a revised estimated cost of Rs 2,160.84 crore.
The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of AIIMS Awantipora on January 10, 2019, at an initial cost of Rs 1,828 crore. The project was initially envisaged to be completed within 72 months, including construction and commissioning. The institute is designed to have 100 MBBS seats, 60 BSc Nursing seats and 15 to 20 super-speciality departments, besides advanced medical facilities and research infrastructure.
The AIIMS project has faced repeated delays since its approval, with construction, infrastructure development and administrative requirements affecting its timeline.
In July 2019, the Pulwama district administration reviewed the project’s progress, including land acquisition, compensation to landowners, rehabilitation of shopkeepers, construction of approach roads and arrangements for water and electricity supply.
The project’s revised completion target was December 2026, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s April 2026 infrastructure report. The report recorded physical progress at 76 per cent and cumulative expenditure at Rs 1,545.05 crore.
A review meeting held by the Pulwama administration on October 16 reported around 81 per cent physical progress, with the first hospital block completed and the second nearing completion. Officials were directed to expedite the commencement of outpatient services and complete the remaining infrastructure.
Once fully operational, AIIMS Awantipora is expected to reduce the burden on existing tertiary-care hospitals in Srinagar and provide advanced treatment facilities closer to patients from south Kashmir and other parts of the Valley.
The institute is also expected to create opportunities in medical education, nursing, research and healthcare employment. However, the inauguration of the first phase does not necessarily mean that all hospital services will become operational immediately. The commencement of clinical services will depend on the availability of specialist doctors, medical equipment, diagnostic facilities and other essential infrastructure.
