By: Jahangeer Ganaie
Anantnag: Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Bijbehara in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district continues to function from a building which was declared unsafe post 2014 floods.
The structure was damaged during the severe floods of 2014. Soon after, a safety audit determined that the building was hazardous, and the plan for a replacement structure was approved.
Earlier, the PDP-BJP government announced a new 50-bed block to be constructed in the same compound. The foundation stone was laid by then minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Abdul Rehman Veeri, in 2018.
Given the fact that the old building was unsafe, authorities put emphasis on the timely completion and the project was to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 14.47 crore rupees by the Jammu and Kashmir Police Housing Corporation.
Medicos said that seven years have passed since the old building was declared unsafe but authorities have failed to repair it and complete the new building.
“There were some major cracks in the walls and the ceilings and the floors had suffered extensive damage,” said a medico.
“Four years have passed since work on new building was started, however, the building is nowhere near completion due to which patients, doctors and attendants continue to throng the old building,” medicos said
SDH caters to Bijbehara town along with dozens of villages of South Kashmir.
Chief Medical Officer Anantnag Dr Mukhtaar Ahmad said that the work on the new building is going on in full swing and it will be completed in the next three months.
He said that all funds for the project are available and interior work is going on at full pace. (KNO)
