Gujarat to build Rs 500 crore health, medical education hub at AI 171 crash site
Gandhi Nagar: Marking the first anniversary of the Air India AI 171 crash that claimed 260 lives, the Gujarat government has announced plans to transform the crash site into a major healthcare and medical education hub.
The proposed project, estimated to cost over ₹500 crore, will include a “Health Temple” and an “Education Temple” aimed at strengthening the state's medical infrastructure while serving as a lasting tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragedy.
Announcing the decision, Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said the proposal was finalised after consultations with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi. He said the Health Temple will house a dedicated spine hospital, hostel facilities for students and doctors, and accommodation for future super-specialist trainees, while the Education Temple will focus on advancing medical education and academic infrastructure.
According to a recent IANS report, Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya on Friday said the state government will develop two major institutions, an ''education temple'' and a ''health temple'', at the site of the plane crash that killed 260 people last year and caused extensive damage to nearby medical infrastructure in Ahmedabad.
Speaking on the decision and first anniversary, the minister said he paid tribute to the victims of the tragedy and expressed condolences to their families, adding that "the entire site where the aircraft crashed belongs to the state Health Department and the government".
He said the proposal had been finalised after discussions with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi.
“First of all, I pay heartfelt tribute to all the departed souls and offer my condolences to their family members. The entire site where the plane crash took place belongs to the government. After detailed discussions, we have decided today to construct two temples at that site,” Pansheriya said.
He said one of the planned facilities would be a Health Temple, which would include a spine hospital along with hostel accommodation for students and doctors.
The second would be an Education Temple, designed to support medical education infrastructure.
He added that facilities for super-specialist medical students, including residential accommodation, mess facilities and related infrastructure, would also be developed as part of the project.
“Within the Health Temple, there will be a spine hospital and a hostel for students. Another hostel, hospital facilities for future super-specialist doctors, students' accommodation, and mess facilities have also been planned there,” he said.
Pansheriya further stated that the project has been divided into two parts and will involve an investment of over Rs 500 crore for the construction of the proposed health and education facilities.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of the Air India flight AI-171 crash on June 12, shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.
The aircraft crashed into the Meghaninagar area, striking buildings associated with BJ Medical College and nearby residential and hostel complexes linked to the Health Department.
The incident resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers and crew on board, along with 19 people on the ground, taking the overall toll to 260.
According to officials, the impact of the crash caused severe structural damage to the “Atulyam 1 to 4” hostel blocks, canteen and sub-station buildings within the New Mental Campus near Civil Hospital in Asarwa.
Around 92 students were residing in the hostel at the time. A subsequent structural audit declared the buildings unsafe, leading to their evacuation and planned demolition.
The state government has since decided to rebuild the damaged hostel infrastructure as part of a larger redevelopment plan at the site, including a modern super-speciality postgraduate hostel complex for doctors, along with expanded facilities aimed at strengthening the state's medical education and healthcare capacity.
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