Srinagar, Jul 07: Construction of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Awantipora in south Kashmir is going on at a slow pace triggering apprehensions that the project may miss the deadline.

An official privy to the development said that work is going on at very slow speed and if its construction will go at this rate, then its completion before the deadline seems impossible.

They said that there was a legal dispute over the acquisition of land needed for the access road essential for transporting construction material followed by clampdown after abrogation of article 370 and then issues with nearby army base besides winter seasons and Covid-19 were reasons behind the slow execution of work on this mega project.

They added that work was going on at full pace now for the last several months but due to Yatra, the national highway remains open for traffic only for a few hours causing delay in arrival of construction material.

A top official working in the project acknowledged that due to yatra and blocking of national highways, the construction material is reaching late due to work getting a little slow.

He said that they have taken up the issue with the government and it will be sorted out soon besides that around 40 percent work has been already completed and the project will be completed before the deadline.

The AIIMS was approved by the central government in 2019 at an estimated cost of Rs 1828 crore.

Moreover, the first batch of students will be admitted this year for the AIIMS in the upcoming NEET-UG.

The institute will add 1000 beds to its current capacity in Kashmir, including 300 super-specialty beds. The ambitious project also includes a Medical College with a capacity of 100 students and a Nursing College with a capacity of 60 students. kno