Delays mar completion of B&J Hospital’s new block, manpower sanctioning

Srinagar, May 27: The J&K government continues to delay the inauguration of the additional block of Bone and Joint Hospital, Barzulla, Srinagar, leaving the critical health infrastructure unused and raising concerns over administrative apathy amid growing patient needs.
The new block was initially slated for inauguration by the end of January this year, but the date was pushed to March due to delays in installing medical equipment. Now, as May draws to a close, it remains uncommissioned.
“It continues to face delays and has missed multiple deadlines since work began on this crucial health infrastructure project,” said an official at the hospital.
Notably, National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCC) is the executing agency for the project, while the PW(R&B) Department Kashmir is its implementing agency. The new block was constructed under the Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) with World Bank funding. Officials said that the previously identified deficiencies that were raised by the World Bank team have been addressed over the past several months.
The official said the new block is critical for addressing the space crunch caused by a fire incident in 2022 that reduced the hospital’s original capacity of 200 beds. The new block will add 160 beds, increasing the hospital’s total capacity from 150 to 310 beds.
“We are facing a severe shortage of beds, as this is the only dedicated orthopaedic hospital in the Valley. It caters not only to Kashmir, but also to Ladakh and parts of Jammu,” he said.
An official of the PW(R&B) Department said that some crucial equipment for the new block is still pending and the hospital block will be inaugurated once the installation is complete.
According to officials, the additional hospital building is designed as a G+ structure and incorporates high-end machinery in its construction, which began in 2019.
On the other side, the government is yet to take a final decision on manpower requirements for the new block. Manpower, a crucial aspect for the facility’s operation, is yet to be finalised. Earlier, B&J Hospital suggested manpower requirements; however, they were asked to seek the minimum possible manpower as per National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines.
“Now, we have proposed some 250 gazetted and non-gazetted posts and we are still waiting for it as the government is yet to take any final decision on it,” he said. The official emphasised the need to recruit manpower before the inauguration of the building to ensure the new facility functions effectively, given the heavy patient load it handles as the Valley’s largest orthopaedic healthcare centre. To facilitate a smooth handover process, the Bone and Joint Hospital authorities have formed a dedicated team to take charge of the additional block.
An official from the GMC Srinagar administration said they are also keen on the early inauguration of the new block. “It’s a coordinated effort, and we are simply awaiting the formal handover. I’m confident it will be handed over to B&J Hospital soon, paving the way for its timely commissioning and ultimately enhancing patient care,” the official said.