Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Mar 8: A four member technical team headed by Joint Secretary Union Health and Family Welfare Department today inspected the site proposed by State Government for establishment of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Awantipora near Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district and would submit its report to Union Government within 15 days.
Official sources told Excelsior that the technical team headed by Joint Secretary, Sunil Sharma, arrived at the Awantipora site this afternoon and inspected it for more than an hour. The Central team was briefed about the site by Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) of Pulwama district.
Besides Sharma, the team consisted of senior architect Mukesh Bajpayee, Superintending Engineer, AIIMS Delhi Manjul Rastogy and Section Officer, Ministry of Family and Health Welfare, Rajeev Jaiswal.
Sources said that though the team “by and large was satisfied” with the location proposed by the State Government but nearby firing range of Army’s Victor Force didn’t go well with the team.”The team was astonished to see the firing range of Army in vicinity of the site and the ACR was somehow unable to convince them in this regard,” said the sources.
The Joint Secretary Union Health and Family Welfare, Sunil Sharma, said he had come with the team of technical personnel to get and see the feasibility for the establishment of AIIMS. “We will be looking at it and discuss when we go back. We have seen the land and it seems to be alright. But some more details need to be required contouring the land and how much would be usable area and what would be cost of the development in little undulating hilly terrain and that all would be looked at. But yes, it seems to be good proposition,” he told reporters after completing the inspection.
He said the report to the Centre would be submitted in “10-15” days but before that they would take more inputs. “As we go back, we will submit the report after taking some more inputs which we have discussed like I said for contouring of land and then some commitments we will need later on of course before finalizing the land with regard to making required water available and electricity and approach road four lane,” he said.
“So, let us see. It is difficult to say how much time it would take but the report we should be submitting in about 10 to 15 days,” the Joint Secretary said when asked about the establishment of the AIIMS. According to official sources, the land requirement for the AIIMS at Awantipora is 1600 kanals (200 acres) but the State has only 1300 to 1400 kanals. “The remaining land shall be acquired from private land owners and they are almost willing to give it for the prestigious health institute,” the sources added.
Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Neeraj Kumar, who was accompanying the Central team along with other top officials, said he is optimistic about the establishment of the AIIMS at Awantipora. “The Central team was happy regarding the site plan because there are as such no hindrances and the team members were satisfied,” he told Excelsior.
When asked about the Army firing range in the vicinity, the Deputy Commissioner said the Army would be asked to vacate nearly 60 kanals of land which it has occupied illegally. “The matter would be taken up at top level as we are aware about it. This would be sorted out,” he added. The DC further said they conveyed to the team that Awantipora is the ideal location as it has rail link and highway nearby and an alternate air base as well.
Official sources said if the site is finalized for the AIIMS in Delhi then the work on it would be started after three months. “It would take more than two months for the Centre to approve,” they said, adding: “overall the location is very much fine for the AIIMS in Valley.”
The other top State officials who were present during inspection include Commissioner /Secretary Health Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, Director Health Kashmir Dr Sumir Matto and Director NRHM Dr Mohan Singh. The officials from various departments including PWD, PHE, R&B and PDD were also present on the occasion.
The Centre last year announced two AIIMS institutes – one in Jammu and another in Srinagar. The Central team has already inspected two sites in Jammu for the AIIMS establishment but none of them has been finalized yet.
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