Anantnag Sep 02 (KNO): The residents of Dooru Shahabad in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district have urged the government to put the unused old Sub-District Hospital building to immediate public use.
Residents and members of the local business community said the building, which once catered to the healthcare needs of people in Dooru and surrounding areas, has remained largely unutilised since the hospital was shifted to its new premises in 2019.
According to locals, the authorities had earlier indicated that the old hospital complex would be converted into a dedicated maternity and child-care facility after the relocation of the SDH. However, they said the proposal has not materialised even years later, leaving the sizable infrastructure without a meaningful public function.
The residents told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the facility has adequate space and an existing hospital structure that could be adapted for healthcare services without waiting for the construction of an entirely new building.
“The government already has a building and land at its disposal. Keeping such infrastructure unused for years serves no public purpose. It should be reopened and utilised for a facility that is urgently required by the people,” Nisar Ahmad Bhat a local resident said.
Another resident said the absence of adequate specialised healthcare services continues to affect people, particularly those requiring maternity and child-care services.
“Dooru and the adjoining areas have a substantial population. Women, children and other patients often have to depend on facilities elsewhere for services that could potentially be provided here. The old hospital building can be turned into a useful healthcare centre,” he said.
Locals expressed concern that prolonged neglect could cause the building and other infrastructure to deteriorate further, eventually requiring additional public expenditure for repairs and restoration.
Members of the traders’ community said the administration should not allow a valuable public asset to remain idle.
“Even if the proposed maternity and child hospital cannot be established immediately, the authorities should identify another essential public service that can be accommodated in the building. The priority should be to make the facility functional,” said Farooq Ahmad, a trader.
Residents said utilising the old hospital complex could also help reduce pressure on existing healthcare institutions by providing additional space for specialised services, diagnostic facilities or other patient-care requirements.
They said their demand was not for a fresh construction project but for the productive utilisation of infrastructure that is already available.
“We are not asking for a new building. The infrastructure is already there. What people want is a concrete decision and a time-bound plan to ensure that the facility is put back into public service,” another resident said.
The residents have appealed to the Health Department and Anantnag district administration to inspect the old hospital premises, assess its current condition and examine the feasibility of converting it into a maternity and child-care centre or another essential public facility.
They said an early decision would not only prevent further deterioration of the government property but also ensure that the infrastructure continues to serve the people of Dooru and its adjoining areas.
Locals hope the long-pending issue will receive the attention of the authorities and that the abandoned hospital building will once again become a functional public asset rather than remain unused—(KNO)