SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday hit out at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for criticising the location of the upcoming AIIMS hospital in the valley and accused the National Conference governments of ignoring south Kashmir.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is coming up at Awantipora in Pulwama district and is likely to be fully functional by the end of next year.
"Under Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's government South Kashmir saw major developments including the establishment of the Islamic University of Science and Technology, University Campus, a medical college & AIIMS all within a short span," she said in a post on X.
The former chief minister was responding to a statement by Abdullah during his visit to Awantipora on Monday in which he said the AIIMS hospital site was not a good choice.
"In contrast despite decades in power NC can't point to a single comparable project in this region. Their criticism of AIIMS's location only reflects their indifference and apathy toward South Kashmir.
"While NC often chose flood-prone sites to benefit their own people the PDP selected locations based on public interest not political favouritism," she added.
Asked about the delay in the AIIMS project, Abdullah had said on Monday that the location for the hospital was identified after taking into account various factors, including Army's concerns.
"It was not checked whether the site is fit for a hospital. Then there were concerns from the Army about the project. So the detailed project report had to be prepared afresh, and those (Army) concerns were addressed. One year was lost in that," he had said.