Chennai: The Centre has selected Thoppur in Madurai as an ideal location for establishing the new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Tamil Nadu and the Rs 1,100-crore project will envisage the setting up of an integrated state-of-the-art institution in the available 200 acres land, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has informed.
The 750-bedded institution will have 100 medical seats, and a nursing college with 60 seats, besides it would fuel research education, he said on Wednesday while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J. P. Nadda for issuing orders to establish new AIIMS in Thoppur near Madurai.
Tamil Nadu had proposed five sites for establishing the AIIMS — Thoppur, Sengipatti in Thanjavur, Pudukottai town, Chengalpattu in Kancheepuram and Perundurai in Erode. But the Centre had decided to set up the project at Thoppur.
State Health Minister Dr C. Vijayabaskar handed over the sanction order to Mr. Palaniswami in his Chamber at the Secretariat here earlier in the day.
“My heartfelt thanks to the PM and the Union Health Minister on behalf of myself and the people of Tamil Nadu. The State government will extend all assistance to the Centre,” the CM said.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Palaniswami said, “it was our leader Amma’s (late CM J. Jayalalithaa) request to the Centre to set up AIIMS in Tamil Nadu to offer best health services to the people. She was keen on ensuring Tamil Nadu got such a facility as it would substantially augment the facilities in the State for providing quality medical education, research and also ensure high-end tertiary level healthcare in the public sector to benefit the poor and middle classes of the state. The order has been issued by the Centre to set up the Rs 1,500 crore institute in Madurai.”
Mr Palaniswami said he has directed Dr. Vijayabaskar, Principal Health Secretary, J. Radhakrishnan and other senior officials to extend all necessary support to the Central government and facilitate the early commencement of work.
Confirming the Centre’s approval for the project, subject to certain conditions, in a communiqué to State Revenue Minister R. B. Udayakumar, Pradhan Mantri Swathya Suraksha Yojana director Sanjay Roy said, the State will have to provide four-lane connectivity from national highway to the proposed site; besides ensure 20MVA power supply from two different feeders and adequate power supply. Also, the state should hand over land free of encumbrances-encroachments to the Centre and shift low tension transformer lines in the site.
