Ganderbal, Oct 04: Almost two decades have passed however the construction of the Maternity-cum-Child Care Hospital (M&CCH) in central Kashmir’s Kangan town has still remained incomplete, leaving the community in distress. The hospital, first proposed in 2005, was envisioned to provide essential maternity and child care services to the region, reducing the need for residents to seek treatment in distant city hospitals.
Sources revealed that the land for the hospital was identified nearly two decades ago, and the Jammu Kashmir Housing Board was entrusted with executing the project at an estimated cost of Rs 27.66 crores. However, progress has been frustratingly slow, with approximately 70-80% of the work completed, and the remaining tasks dragging on without resolution.
Locals voiced their concerns about the delays, stressing that the hospital’s completion would significantly alleviate the pressure on Lal Ded Hospital in Srinagar and improve access to healthcare for Kangan and its neighboring areas.
“From the past 19 years, the hospital remains in construction mode, and nobody seems to care for its completion,” said a local resident. The community also expressed the need for dedicated gynecology staff once the hospital becomes operational, to ensure that maternity patients receive specialized care without inconvenience.
“Whenever we approach the authorities, they cite paucity of funds as the reason,” said one local. Adding, “Despite promises from the department that the remaining work would be completed soon, there is little visible progress.”
Meanwhile, a nearby Mini Maternity Center at Wayil Ganderbal, established in 2013, suffers from inadequate staffing, forcing maternity patients to travel to Srinagar for proper care. Locals also complained about non-functional equipment and closed rooms at the center, further complicating the healthcare situation.
In contrast, the Maternity Hospital at Nunner sees a lower patient flow, with doctors deployed accordingly.
When contacted, the DGM of the project said that he was on leave and advised reaching out to another official. Meanwhile locals appealed the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to intervene in the matter.
