Though the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has passed the land to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for their expansion plans to transpire, the entire project is still likely to take over two years for the construction to begin. Authorities at the hospital say that the procedure is lengthy and several formal approvals are still pending.
It was almost two years ago that the hospital sent its proposal with blueprints to the Government to use the land situated behind the AIIMS Trauma Centre, which belongs to the DDA for the building the extension of the AIIMS Trauma Centre, a new emergency block, research facility, rehabilitation centre, specified transplant department and cardiothoracic treatment cell. However, it is only after two years of bureaucratic tussle that the land has been sanctioned to the hospital. But now, there are several more procedures lined up.
According to spokesperson of the hospital, Dr Amit Gupta, the DDA has to first hand over the approval to AIIMS after which several other formal approvals are needed. “The Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) and New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) have to give us formal approvals. While these approvals are not going to be under scrutiny, they make take some time because of the procedures. However, they also have a copy of the approval of the land being given to us and once the procedures are through, the approval should come. We have to apply only for formality so that there are no loopholes,” said Gupta.
However, the land construction will not start so soon. Gupta informed, “Once all the approvals come, the land development will start. The roads, sewers and other utilities will be divided plot-wise. Then the construction will begin. With the positive approach we have seen from the Government now, it should not take more than a year to hit the ground running.”
AIIMS is currently under tremendous pressure because of a massive influx of patients. Thus, Gupta says, it was necessary that this land was given to the hospital so that the facilities are expanded and improved. “The purpose we want to use the land for is good, thus, we have waited for all this while to get this land and not given up. The new building will be a green building with solar power and eco-friendly surroundings,” he said.
Sources say, that the proposal would have been approved a year ago but wasn’t because of the changes in the Delhi Government as they stalled matters. “In land matters, the Government is usually reluctant to give approvals because later it backfires on them. Thus, the lG had to give it a good review in all aspects before sanctioning it. The lieutenant Governor before Najeeb Jung had looked into these intricacies but he was replaced by Jung before he gave the approvals so the process again started from scratch,” informed a source.