AIIMS' heliport to come up after regulatory clearances: Minister

The central government on Thursday said a heliport will be constructed at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here after all requisite regulatory clearances have been sorted out.

According to Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma, AIIMS New Delhi had applied for permission for construction of an elevated heliport for day VFR (visual flight rules) operations on the rooftop of its trauma centre.

"A site inspection was carried out on October 13, 2015. The site has been found appropriate for construction of the elevated helipad," Sharma said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The minister elaborated that AIIMS New Delhi has to prepare a detailed project report and that the premier medical institute has contracted state-run firm HSCC(I) for construction of the helipad.

Furthermore, Sharma said that the hospital needs to obtain regulatory clearances from several ministries including environment, defence and home affairs, in addition to local bodies nod for the project.

"AAI (Airports Authority of India) shall simultaneously develop standard operating procedure (SOP) for such helicopter operations, to be finalised by January 31, 2016," the minister said in his reply during the question hour.