By | Kamran Ashraf Bhat
The Government Medical College (GMC) in Handwara was supposed to be a milestone for healthcare and education in Jammu and Kashmir. Instead, it has become a glaring example of mismanagement and administrative failure. Approved in 2020 under a central scheme, the project was envisioned as a hub for medical education and healthcare services for the region. Now, with ₹170 crore already spent and construction stalled, the project is mired in controversy and questions that demand immediate answers.
The root of the problem lies in a baffling decision: building the college on a site prone to seasonal flooding due to its proximity to a river. This should never have been overlooked during the planning phase. Environmental assessments, if conducted at all, were clearly insufficient. Did decision-makers turn a blind eye to these risks? Were local experts consulted, or was this an exercise in ticking bureaucratic boxes?
The financial implications are staggering. Public funds—₹170 crore—have been poured into a site that has now been deemed unsuitable for its purpose. How could such a critical project proceed with such an obvious flaw? The situation raises unsettling questions about the decision-making process and whether vested interests influenced this deeply flawed choice.
The lack of urgency in addressing the issue compounds the problem. Relocation of the project to a more viable site within the mandated radius of the associated hospital is an obvious solution, yet progress toward this end appears to be nonexistent. Meanwhile, other medical colleges approved under the same scheme have been completed and are operational. What is holding Handwara back?
At its core, this is not just about an isolated project—it reflects a larger, systemic failure. Public infrastructure projects, particularly in regions as critical as Jammu and Kashmir, require meticulous planning and rigorous oversight. Here, both appear to have been missing. Who is responsible for this failure? Why has there been no accountability for the massive waste of resources and time?
The people of Handwara, and indeed the entire region, deserve better. They deserve answers, accountability, and above all, action. The government must urgently investigate the circumstances that led to this debacle and take steps to salvage the project. Relocation must be expedited, and those responsible for this mismanagement—whether contractors, officials, or planners—must be held to account.
GMC Handwara was supposed to be a beacon of progress. Instead, it now serves as a painful reminder of what happens when governance falters. The situation is unacceptable, and it cannot be allowed to languish any longer. The people of the region deserve to see this project completed—not as a symbol of failure, but as a testament to what effective leadership and accountability can achieve.
About the Author: Kamran Ashraf Bhat, an alumnus of Bahcesehir University’s Department of Cinema and Television in Istanbul, and former Executive Editor of Daily Inside Kashmir, is currently the CEO of Spotlight Media Organisation. Mr. Bhat specializes in writing on geopolitical, geostrategic, environmental, and social issues.
