Srinagar: The construction on the much-anticipated campus of Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla has been stalled for over 10 days now due to objections raised by the nearby security installation about the location of one of the buildings.
GMC Baramulla Principal said that the matter was being resolved.
A senior healthcare official said that the construction on three buildings of GMC Baramulla at Kanth Bagh Baramulla was halted in November beginning when the nearby security forces’ camp objected to the upcoming structure complaining that it could be a threat to security.
“The higher-ups of the battalion stationed here spoke to the GMC authorities and ordered an immediate stop to all construction work,” he said.
The official said that this had put the completion of the project in limbo and there was a lack of clarity on what could be the reason for this objection as the site plan had been finalised years ago and the civil work had also been going on for a long time.
GMC Baramulla is currently operating from Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Baramulla, a makeshift arrangement for over three years now, a senior doctor at the hospital said.
He said that the space and infrastructure constraints of the premises of SDH had for years restricted the academic and patient services of the medical college and the college authorities were looking forward to the new campus, expected to be ready by year-end.
Principal GMC Baramulla, Prof Ruby Reshi said a meeting of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) with the officers of the security forces had been convened on Wednesday to sort out the issue.
She said, as per the security forces, one of the buildings was overlooking their premises and they had objected to it.
Prof Reshi said that the building would come up with “slight modifications” and there would be no windows on the side of the objected area.
“The construction will start in a couple of days,” she said.
Prof Reshi said that the matter was a minor one and changes to the construction plan “should sort it out.
“I don’t think we will suffer on timelines,” she said.
A faculty member said the three buildings that the security forces had objected to include the administrative block of GMC Baramulla.
He said that the site plan and blueprint of the project had been approved by the Centre in 2016.
“These projects are centrally sponsored and the Union Health Ministry is the vetting agency for site construction and funds,” he said.
The MBBS programme at the college was started in 2019.