Year after Ahmedabad plane crash, Gujarat govt to rebuild BJ Medical College hostel at Rs 105 crore

On this, the Health Minister Praful Pansheriya stated that the government would construct a new, state-of-the-art hostel facility at the same location, at an estimated cost of approximately ₹105 crore.

Announcing the redevelopment plan, Minister Pansheriya stated that the Tata Group, which owns Air India, has agreed to pay ₹53.12 crore to the Health Department to compensate for the damage caused to the 'Atulyam' hostel blocks 1 to 4, the canteen, and the sub-station building located near the Civil Hospital.

Pansheriya stated that a provision of ₹34.65 crore has already been made for this project in the 2026-27 budget, while its estimated allocation stands at ₹51.84 crore.

Officials stated that the hostel complex, which is being reconstructed, will have three times the accommodation capacity compared to the previous one. Construction work is expected to begin within the next three months, as reported by News18.

This project will comprise a Ground-plus-8 hostel complex named 'Atulyam 1 to 7,' providing residential facilities for 236 doctors, including those who are married and wish to reside with their spouses.

Moreover, each studio apartment-style unit will feature a living room, accompanied by a kitchen, a bedroom, and a restroom. Additionally, the campus amenities will include basement parking, separate living quarters for unmarried PG students, a gym, a recreation room, and green spaces.

The Gujarat government's decision to rebuild the hostel at the very same site has reignited emotional debates regarding how the location should be commemorated; some families are demanding the construction of a memorial for the victims who lost their lives in one of India's deadliest aviation accidents.

Therefore, the families of some victims have demanded that this site be preserved as a memorial in memory of those died in the tragedy.