Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Nov 5
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Thursday reviewed the progress of the Rs 2160-crore All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Awantipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, setting a March 2027 deadline for completion of the remaining construction work and targeting the admission of 100 MBBS students in the 2027-28 academic session.
The 750-bed tertiary-care institution is expected to begin outpatient department (OPD) services before December 2026, while inpatient department (IPD) services are scheduled to start in July 2027, according to timelines presented during the review.
Nadda directed the executing agencies to maintain the pace of construction and ensure that the project is completed within the revised deadline. He also reviewed the procurement of medical equipment and furniture, recruitment of faculty and other personnel, and preparations for the commencement of healthcare and academic activities.
Officials informed the minister that the major buildings under Phase I had been completed, including the OPD registration block, OPD building, residential quarters and designated hostels. Inventory verification and formal handover procedures are under way.
However, construction of the remaining academic, administrative, hospital, residential and hostel infrastructure is continuing.
Nadda directed the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation (HITES), the executing agencies, to expedite the remaining work and coordinate closely with the institute’s administration.
He also asked HITES and the executive director of AIIMS Awantipora to accelerate procurement of equipment required for patient care and academic activities.
The institute has received procurement approval for 180 medical equipment items worth Rs 59.41 crore, of which contracts for nearly 140 items have been awarded. Procurement of OPD instruments, laboratory equipment and furniture is continuing.
The review also covered staffing requirements, with the proposed manpower arrangements involving 652 positions across different categories, including 150 security personnel.
Nadda assessed the recruitment process for faculty and non-faculty positions and directed the administration to speed up appointments to ensure the institute is adequately staffed before services begin.
Other issues discussed included campus security, transport connectivity, website development and coordination with the local administration to address operational requirements.
Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo, who attended the review, said the institute was expected to begin its academic programme with 100 MBBS seats.
She said Nadda had indicated that the first batch would comprise 100 students, higher than the initially announced intake of 50.
The proposed intake would expand medical education capacity in Jammu and Kashmir, although academic activities are not expected to begin in the current academic year.
Sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), the project was initially approved at an estimated cost of Rs 1828 crore, which was subsequently revised to more than Rs 2160 crore.
Envisaged as a 750-bed tertiary-care institution, AIIMS Awantipora is expected to provide specialised treatment, advanced diagnostic facilities and medical education and research infrastructure.
The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of AIIMS Kashmir in January 2019, but construction and operationalisation have faced repeated delays.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during a review in September 2025, had expressed hope that the institute would become functional by the end of 2026.
The latest schedule envisages an initial opening of outpatient services before December this year, followed by inpatient care in July 2027 and the commencement of academic activities in the 2027-28 session.
The institute is expected to reduce the pressure on existing tertiary-care hospitals in Kashmir and limit the need for patients to travel outside Jammu and Kashmir for specialised consultations and advanced treatment.
