Handwara, Feb 21: The long-awaited installation of lift at the Associated Hospital GMC Handwara has come to a grinding halt, leaving thousands of patients and attendants in distress. The non-availability of the Executive Engineer of the Mechanical and Hospital Division, Handwara, has created a bureaucratic deadlock that has stalled payments to the contractor.
Patients who were hoping for relief with the shift from the old hospital building to new one are now left struggling. The contractor responsible for lift installation has stopped work, citing non-payment. Officials from the Mechanical and Hospital Division have confirmed that the Executive Engineer retired in November 2024, and since then, no one has taken charge of the post. As a result, there is no authority to sign the bill, leaving the contractor unpaid and the project in limbo.
“We have sent multiple letters to higher authorities, but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears,” said an official from the Mechanical and Hospital Division. “The delay is not due to a lack of funds but because there is no one to authorize the payments,” he said.
The hospital project, with an allotment of Rs 1.5 crore, is already 80% complete. However, without payment, the contractor has made it clear that he will not resume work. This has sparked outrage among patients and locals, who are accusing authorities of sheer negligence.
“It is shocking that a simple administrative lapse is forcing thousands of people to suffer daily,” said Wasid Lone, a resident of Langate. “The existing hospital is already struggling with limited beds, and now, without the lift, patients are forced to suffer even more. The emergency section has less than 20 beds, which is nowhere near enough for the rush of patients, many of whom are referred from Kupwara.”
Patients and attendants describe the situation as inhumane, with some even comparing it to a crisis. “How long do we have to wait? This is not just about a lift—it’s about access to essential healthcare. The Chief Minister must intervene and fill this crucial post without delay. We cannot afford to let bureaucracy decide the fate of patients,” said another resident.
