High Court Pulls Up PWD: Seeks Immediate Proposal for Overbridge/Underpass to Link GMC Jammu with Associated Hospitals

High Court Pulls Up PWD: Seeks Immediate Proposal for Overbridge/Underpass to Link GMC Jammu with Associated Hospitals

Division Bench directs Chief Engineer to submit DPR by April 30 in long-pending matter of public interest

||Black and White Digital News ||
||Parvinder Singh April 11,2025 ||

In a significant development with far-reaching implications for public health infrastructure and patient safety, the Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu has directed the Chief Engineer, Public Works Department (Roads & Buildings), Jammu to submit a detailed proposal and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for establishing a safe and direct connectivity—via an overbridge or underpass—between Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu and its associated hospitals.

The order was passed by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan (now retired) and Justice M.A. Chowdhary while hearing a long-pending Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 16/2018), which was originally filed by renowned RTI activist Balwinder Singh. The PIL primarily deals with systemic gaps in healthcare accessibility in the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, including shortage of medical staff in remote areas. However, this latest development emerged from a focused concern raised within the PIL regarding the lack of safe and seamless connectivity between GMC Jammu and its cluster of associated hospitals located across a busy road.

Long-Pending Pleas Ignored:

Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, along with Advocate Mohd. Zulkarnain Chowdhary, representing the petitioner, brought to the court’s attention that repeated official communications—sent by the Principal and Dean of GMC Jammu to the PWD from June 2023 to March 2025—had gone unheeded. These communications had urged the department to prepare a DPR for a proposed overbridge or underpass to ensure secure passage for patients, medical professionals, and paramedics moving between GMC and the Bone & Joint Hospital, Chest Diseases Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital, and the upcoming Critical Care Block.

Despite reminders and even a prior direction from the Court dated March 24, 2025, the Chief Engineer failed to respond with a concrete proposal or appear before the Court, which was viewed as an act of indifference in a matter of public safety and convenience.

Compliance Report and Government’s Response:

Senior Additional Advocate General (AAG) S.S. Nanda, appearing on behalf of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, informed the Bench that the Chief Engineer was present in Court and had submitted a compliance report to the Registry. Reading from the report in open Court, he stated that the project for construction of a flyover—provisionally titled ‘Construction of flyover from Pawan Ice Cream to Shakuntla Theatre with one leg to DIET Rotary including direct connectivity to GMC Hospital and Maheshpura Chowk’—is still at the conceptual stage.

The department further stated that feasibility studies, surveys, and detailed design work would only commence after the finalization of the alignment by the Government. The proposed infrastructure would ultimately provide linkage between GMC and the adjoining hospitals, but as of now, there has been no progress beyond initial ideation.

Court’s Observations and Directions:

After examining the compliance report, the Bench acknowledged the project’s magnitude but noted that the delays were unjustified considering the consistent demands made by GMC authorities over nearly two years. The Division Bench observed:

“The project appears to be a large-scale undertaking and time-consuming; however, considering the critical nature of the connectivity issue and the documented correspondence from the Dean and Principal of GMC, we direct the Chief Engineer PWD (R&B), Jammu to come up with a proposal/DPR with regard to the connectivity of GMC Jammu with the other associated hospitals for the safe passage of patients, doctors, and paramedics.”

Chief Engineer Rakesh Kumar Gupta was directed to file a fresh compliance report addressing the specific communications from GMC on or before the next hearing date, April 30, 2025. The Court, while dispensing with his personal appearance until further orders, made it clear that accountability and action were expected in this matter of public urgency.

Broader Significance:

This case underlines a critical gap in urban healthcare infrastructure planning—especially in high-traffic zones where medical institutions are fragmented across roadways, putting patients and staff at risk. The Court’s intervention, prompted by civil society activism and legal advocacy, has now placed the spotlight firmly on administrative inertia and may catalyze overdue infrastructure upgrades.

As the matter is now listed for April 30, all eyes will be on whether the administration will rise to the occasion and translate years of correspondence into actionable design and execution. Failure to act may result in further judicial scrutiny and potential contempt proceedings, considering the public interest and legal directives already in play.
Advocate at High Court & District Courts of Jammu
Omar Abdullah
Deputy CM Surinder choudhary
Sakina Itoo