India, Oct. 16 -- District Development Commissioner Pulwama, Kuldeep Krishan Sidha, has directed officials to expedite pending works at AIIMS Awantipora and make its Outpatient Department (OPD) functional by the end of October, wherever feasible.

Chairing a review meeting on Thursday to assess the institute's construction progress and operational preparedness, Sidha was informed that the project had achieved around 81 percent physical progress, while financial progress stood at over 72 percent.

Officials said the revised master plan and associated changes had been approved. Hospital Block-I has been completed, while Hospital Block-II is around 99 percent complete.

Emphasising the need to translate construction progress into functioning...