JAMMU: The Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara is set to be relocated after the government deemed its current site unsafe due to repeated flooding, but the decision has sparked controversy over where the institution should be shifted. While Kupwara residents demand that the college be moved to a location between Handwara and Kupwara, Langate locals insist that it should remain within their territory, arguing that a better space should be found to accommodate it. Uncertainty also looms over the fate of the attached hospital, with no official confirmation on where it will be relocated.
The decision to abandon the site was taken following three severe flooding incidents in 2024. The first occurred on March 29, when floodwaters reached 0.6 metres above ground level. The situation worsened on April 16, with water levels rising to 3.8 metres. The final and most devastating flood on April 28 saw water levels cross the first floor of the under-construction GMC Handwara buildings, reaching 4.0 metres. A technical committee, led by the Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department, declared the site untenable, stating that no feasible flood protection measures could mitigate the risk.
Based on these findings, the General Administration Department constituted another panel under the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir to identify an alternative location for the medical college. The committee has submitted its recommendations, and the matter is now being reviewed by the Agriculture Production Department to finalise the new site.
Despite the uncertainty, construction work on a 200-bed section of the hospital attached to GMC Handwara is nearing completion, with officials stating that it is 90 per cent ready and should be operational in the coming months. Medical Superintendent Dr Aijaz Ahmad Bhat confirmed that final installations, including a lift and a Servo transformer for round-the-clock electricity, are in progress. Once functional, the hospital will also see improvements such as a relocated triage area and separate emergency units for medical and surgical cases.
The larger GMC Handwara project envisioned as a 500-bed hospital, remains in its early stages, with ongoing construction work. While officials acknowledge space constraints, they assure that patient care has not been compromised. However, the lack of clarity regarding the relocation of the medical college and hospital continues to raise concerns among residents and stakeholders.
