Srinagar, Jul 15: In a significant relief for patients and their families, the Srinagar district administration has initiated the construction of a much-awaited foot-over bridge at the 500-bed Children’s Hospital Bemina. It also announced plans to build an accommodation facility for attendants, addressing two long-pending issues at the premier pediatric healthcare institution.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo, who visited the hospital on Wednesday, said the foot-over bridge has been planned after the administration assessed the difficulties faced daily by patients, attendants and hospital staff. “The bridge will connect different hospital blocks and will be equipped with staircases as well as an escalator to ensure easier movement, particularly for critically ill children and their caregivers,” the DC said.
The development comes against the backdrop of repeated concerns raised by patients and attendants over the absence of a safe crossing outside the hospital. Earlier, families had complained that they were forced to cross the busy road amid heavy traffic due to the lack of a zebra crossing or foot-over bridge, exposing children and attendants to the risk of accidents.
Attendants had also pointed out that ambulances often faced delays in reaching the hospital because they were required to take a U-turn nearly two kilometres ahead before entering the hospital premises, causing inconvenience during medical emergencies.
The Deputy Commissioner said the bridge project is expected to substantially improve accessibility and make movement within and around the hospital safer and more convenient for thousands of people who visit the facility from different parts of the Kashmir Valley.
In another major initiative, the DC announced that the district administration will construct a dedicated accommodation facility (Sarai) for attendants through the District Mineral Fund (DMF).
The proposed facility, he said, will include around 15 rooms, two large dormitories, a dining hall, toilets and washrooms, allowing attendants accompanying children from far-flung districts to stay close to the hospital at an affordable cost during prolonged treatment.
The absence of such a facility has long been a concern, with many attendants forced to spend nights in hospital corridors, open spaces or rented accommodation due to the lack of affordable lodging near the hospital.
Labroo said administrative approval for the project will be secured shortly, following which construction work will begin.
During his visit, the Deputy Commissioner also reviewed the progress of other developmental works in the district. He said construction of the new Tehsil office is progressing satisfactorily, while work on the SDM office and SDM West office will be allotted soon.
Responding to questions regarding drinking water shortages in several parts of Srinagar, Labroo said multiple projects under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme are being executed to strengthen the city’s water supply infrastructure. “Works related to source augmentation, improvement of distribution networks and enhancement of water quality are nearing completion in areas including Nishat, Batamaloo, Soura and Rajbagh,” he said.
Acknowledging that some localities continue to face water scarcity, he said water tankers will remain in service until the ongoing projects are completed.
To further strengthen the emergency water supply, the district administration has approved the procurement of four additional water tankers through the District Mineral Fund, the DC added—(KNO)
