A year after the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 260 lives, the Gujarat government on Friday announced a redevelopment plan for the disaster-hit New Mental Campus in Meghaninagar. The state will invest more than ₹547 crore to transform the site into a major centre for healthcare, rehabilitation, medical research and education.
Paying tribute to the victims of the crash, state Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said the government has decided to redevelop the crash site into a modern healthcare and medical education hub. The initiative will involve the demolition of fully and partially damaged buildings that were charred when the aircraft crash-landed on the campus a year ago.
“The state government has prepared a long-term redevelopment plan for the New Mental Campus, turning a site marked by tragedy into a centre dedicated to healing, learning and research,” Pansheriya said.
Rehabilitation centre, housing units at crash site
According to the plan, the largest component will be a ₹295-crore Paraplegia and Spine Hospital, which will also include a rehabilitation centre, a physiotherapy college and hostel facilities for 500 students. The project is proposed on nearly 25,000 square metres of land and is expected to significantly strengthen specialised healthcare services in the state, news agency IANS reported.
The government will also construct new G+7 hostel blocks for married postgraduate students. The residential complex, estimated to cost ₹192 crore, will provide 510 housing units and help address accommodation needs for medical students and trainees.
In addition, a modern canteen building with a seating capacity of 800 students will be developed at a cost of ₹10 crore. Another major project includes the construction of a state-of-the-art NABL-standard Food and Drugs Laboratory. Estimated to cost ₹50 crore, the laboratory will be housed in a G+7 structure spread across approximately 3,100 square metres, according to the IANS report.
Officials from the health department said the redevelopment aims to replace infrastructure damaged in the crash while creating a comprehensive ecosystem for healthcare delivery, education and research.
What’s the latest update on AI 171 crash report?
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Friday said the investigation into the Air India AI171 crash is continuing with diligence and professionalism, following established national and international protocols.
Marking the first anniversary of the crash, Naidu said authorities remain committed to conducting a thorough and objective investigation into the causes of the accident.
“We remain committed to a thorough and objective determination of the causes of the accident and to further enhancing aviation safety,” the minister said in a statement.
His remarks come amid expectations that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) could soon issue an interim update on the probe into the fatal crash involving Air India’s Boeing Dreamliner. The investigation is focused on identifying the factors that led to one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent years.
According to the International Air Transport Association, a final investigation report should be published within one year of an accident, if possible. When investigations extend beyond that period, an interim statement is to be issued on the accident’s anniversary every year.