Pahalgam: At the one-storey govt hospital in Pahalgam, April 22, 2025, began like any other day. There was the usual OPD trickle. But one phone call changed the day — and the town forever. Just 2km away as the sound carries, terrorists’ AK47 bullets were ripping into tourists.This small facility swiftly shifted to emergency mode, handling the aftermath of one of the darkest chapters of Indian history. By evening, the hospital had received 26 dead and 17 wounded people, turning into the first point of succour for survivors. The lightly staffed hospital worked tirelessly to save lives and give dignity to the dead.Despite the scale of the tragedy, little has changed at Pahalgam Civil Hospital over the past year. It still operates from five rooms, where doctors see outpatients and paramedics carry out X-rays and ECGs. A three-storey building stands next to the existing structure, but its construction has been delayed for years.Outside, three ambulances are parked on a patchy lawn that turns muddy in the rain, making it difficult to reach the entrance.At the time of the Pahalgam terror attack, the hospital had a small team — a surgeon, an anaesthetist, a gynaecologist and a medical officer, supported by seven paramedics. As news of the attack spread, doctors and paramedics from hospitals across south Kashmir were scrambled to help. Hospital staff quickly arranged beds in the under-construction building, where a hall was used to hold the 26 bodies.Apart from the addition of an ambulance, the hospital remains largely the same, continuing as the first line of care in one of Kashmir’s busiest tourist destinations. As Pahalgam also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, it also treats heart attacks, fall injuries and hypothermia.In 2024, Pahalgam received nearly 1.2 million tourists, along with roughly 512,000 Amarnath pilgrims. The hospital also serves an estimated 200,000 residents in Pahalgam and surrounding areas.The building that was used to hold bodies on April 22 is still incomplete; many here say the govt appears to be in no hurry to finish the project.Health department officials accuse the roads and buildings (R&B) department for the delay. But R&B officials say the health department has not released about Rs 4.3 crore. “We have added another storey to the building. The construction of a lift and interior works is pending. If health department releases funds now, we can make the building operational in six months,” an official said.In 2021, authorities cleared a proposal to upgrade the hospital to a 50-bed one, but the project has not taken off, say officials. Posts were created to bring it on a par with a sub-district hospital but have not been filled. The hospital continues to operate with limited resources, and doctors often refer critically ill patients to Anantnag, an hour’s drive away.
