SRINAGAR: After almost three decades, the forces vacated two buildings of the SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura.
The moving out of forces from SKIMS is expected to give relief to the people who visit in thousands to the institute daily.
Medical Superintendent SKIMS, Soura, Dr Farooq Ahmad Jan, said the forces moved out of the building on Thursday night.
“The SKIMS authorities had raised this issue several times in the past. The security forces finally vacated these buildings,” he said.
He said that SKIMS engineers would visit these buildings and make a layout plan accordingly.
“It is yet to be decided for what purposes these buildings will be used,” he added.
The Border Security Forces had occupied these two buildings in early 1990s.
Following they were under occupation of CRPF and then Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along with around 20 kanal of land.
The forces had erected prefabricated barracks on a large piece of land around the buildings.
These buildings are stationed opposite emergency block of the SKIMS.
Although the SSB personnel had removed bunkers but the debris was still lying on the road on Friday, just few metres from the emergency block of SKIMS.
Since Friday morning, several officials of the SKIMS started cleaning these buildings. “These buildings need some repairing,” an official said, who was busy in removing the sandbags and bricks. It will take us some more time to clean the surrounding from the debris, the official said.
He said that forces had occupied the buildings in early nineties. “Due to occupation of buildings, the expansion of Emergency Departments got hampered over the years,” the official said.
He said that buildings were meant for animal house proposed in early 1990s.
“After forces refused to vacate buildings, government shifted the animal house to other place.”
Meanwhile, the officials said that moving of forces from Institute premises would provide a “relief” to visitors.
“There would remain a fear due to presence of forces inside the SKIMS premises. They (forces) would not allow parking any vehicle in front of emergency block even in emergency cases,” the official said.
He said the forces had “mistreated” the patients and attendants on a number of occasions.
