AIIMS Delhi redevelopment plan: 2143 trees to be cut down, approval awaited

New Delhi: Following the redevelopment project to make the premier institute, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, into a world-class medical institute, a total of 2,143 trees will be chopped off to clear the area for construction of the project. However, final approval for the said is awaiting. 

"A total of 2,143 trees will be impacted for the project, of which 1,512 indigenous species will be transplanted while 631, which are exotic species, have been permitted to be felled. The file was sent for approval from the minister, which is yet to come," said a senior official requesting anonymity.

The partial approval for the cutting of trees was granted by the Delhi forest department. However, the final node by Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai is awaited.

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The redevelopment project was approved by the Delhi Development Authority back in June. The AIIMS will be transformed into a world-class medical university whose master plan includes a new hospital with 3,000 beds, academic and research buildings for multiple graduate and postgraduate programmes, and new hostel blocks.

Additionally, the project involves the redevelopment of the existing East Ansari Nagar and Masjid Moth campuses, which cover 107 acres and 30 acres, respectively, and the development of the 14.95-acre Trauma Centre Extension campus.

Redevelopment plan in the area spanning 79.73 ha, comprising five land parcels for development of a world-class medical university and change of land use of 1.69 ha from recreational (city park/district park/community park) to public and semi-public (PS1- Education and research university) for AIIMS, falling in planning zone 'F', was approved to give a fillip to the healthcare facilities in the national capital, the DDA said in a statement, PTI reports.

According to an official, The trees proposed to be transplanted for the project will be carried out in an area spread across 6 hectares in northwest Delhi's Sultanpur Dabas village. The forest department, however, will plant compensatory trees in Aya Nagar, a reserve forest in south Delhi.

"We plan to plant 21,430 saplings for compensatory plantation for the project in an area of around 26 hectares in Aya Nagar," the official told TNIE.

In a meeting held by the Delhi State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) on June 3, the committee permitted cutting or transplanting 4,125 trees for the AIIMS project. It was asked the institute to review its master plan to keep at least 50 percent of trees on the site, as there are around 5,995 trees on the site, of which 4,125 are being cut or transplanted.

In October 2020, the Delhi government approved a tree transplantation policy to prevent felling trees due to city development work. Under the policy, agencies concerned have been asked to transplant 80 percent of trees affected by the projects to a new location.

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