Srinagar, Apr 28: Patients and attendants visiting Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar continue to face severe difficulties due to the lack of adequate parking space, turning already stressful hospital visits into frus-trating ordeals.
As one of the largest tertiary care hospitals in Kashmir, SMHS serves nearly 10,000 people daily, including patients, attendants, and visitors. Despite this high volume, the hospital’s parking infrastructure remains severely inadequate, leading to frequent congestion both within and around the hospital premises.
Attendants often find themselves circling the hospital for long periods, search-ing for a parking spot, which only adds to their stress. “I had to drive around for nearly 20 minutes just to find a place to park,” said Owais Ahmed, who brought his father for a check-up. “The parking lot is too small, and there’s no proper management. It only adds to the pressure during an already difficult time.”
The lack of parking space has also forced many visitors to park along nearby roads, further narrowing already cramped streets. This haphazard parking blocks emergency lanes and hospital entrances, delaying access to critical ser-vices. “There have been instances where ambulances had to wait for cars to move before entering the hospital,” said a senior doctor, who requested ano-nymity. “In emergencies, every second counts, and the parking situation only makes it harder to provide timely care.”
The congestion is especially concerning for emergency patients, who often struggle to park near the hospital. Many are forced to park far from the en-trance and walk long distances, which is particularly difficult for those with el-derly or unwell family members. “It’s disheartening,” said Riyaz, an attendant. “When someone is sick, the last thing you want is to worry about finding a parking spot.”
Adil Hussain, another attendant, shared a similar experience. “I was bringing my elderly mother for treatment. The parking inside was full, and there was no space outside either. I had to park several blocks away, and she had to walk all that distance just to get to the entrance. It was heartbreaking to see her strug-gle.”
In addition to the parking shortage, attendants also face the risk of fines for parking in no-parking zones when the hospital lot is full. “What choice do we have?” asked Suhail Wani, who accompanied his sister for treatment. “There’s no space inside, and if we park outside, we either block the road or get fined. It feels like we’re being punished for bringing someone to the hospital.”
As the problem persists, many attendants are calling on the authorities to find a lasting solution. Several have suggested that building a multi-level parking facility is the only way to address the issue, given the hospital’s daily footfall. “This is not a small clinic,” said Muneer Ahmad, waiting outside the emergency ward. “Unless they build a multi-level parking structure, this chaos will never end.”
Tanveer Ahmad, another attendant, shared the same sentiment. “The footfall here is massive every single day—one ground-level lot just can’t handle it. The government must build a multi-level parking facility. That’s the only way to ease this mess.”
Hospital authorities have acknowledged the issue but face significant challeng-es in resolving it. Dr. Andleeb Bashir, Medical Superintendent at SMHS, acknowledged the problem, stating, “We are aware of the parking shortage, but there’s no space available to create additional slots.”
Mohammad Ashraf Hakak, Administrator of Associated Hospitals Srinagar, also acknowledged the problem, stating, “The shortage is due to limited space. Currently, there are no plans for expansion, though we are in discussions with other authorities to find a solution.”
For now, patients and their families continue to navigate the challenges of cha-otic parking, with no clear resolution in sight. The lack of adequate parking remains a pressing issue that urgently needs to be addressed to ease the already heavy burdens on those seeking care at SMHS Hospital.
