AIIMS, NBCC signs MoU to build 3,000 flats for hospital staff

The AIIMS today joined hands with the NBCC Limited for developing a housing complex for the staff at its western campus amid protests by Resident doctors who are opposing the government's policy of selling 10 per cent institutional land for commercial use.
Terming as "historic moment" the signing of MoU, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in the last two years many development proposals of AIIMS have turned into reality.
Union Urban Development minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the project will change the face of AIIMS.
"I am ready for a debate on this issue. All the professors, teachers and staff working here want better accommodation and facilities. At the same time, taking them away to Noida and Ghaziabad and asking them commute from there is not going to be of any help because they need to focus and concentrate on their research work," he said reacting to the protests while he was speaking.

"This issue was pending for years as we could not reach a conclusion because for building houses we need money and the resources of government are limited. We are giving land to NBCC so that they can redevelop, create modern houses and better facilities and not for any destructive purpose. I don't understand why some people are opposing this. After all NBCC is an arm of the government," Naidu said.
As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), NBCC will build 3928 apartments in Ansari Nagar, West Campus for the staff of the country's premier institute on over 65 acres of land, at an estimated cost of Rs 4,441 crore.

In turn, about 2.9 acres out of 29 acres of institutional land would be given to NBCC for commercial use.

NBCC would be charging 10 per cent of the final project cost as project management consultancy (PMC) fee and 1 per cent for the marketing expenses on total fund realisation from the sale/lease of built up area.
Meanwhile, members of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) had a minor scuffle with the security guards when they forcefully tried to enter the auditorium where the MoU was being signed.
"We just wanted to send three of representatives to handover the memorandum before the MoU is signed but the administration did not allow us. We were protesting peacefully but the security guards tried to remove us from the lobby which led to a minor scuffle between the resident doctors and security guards," AIIMS RDA president Dr Vijay Gurjar said.

"We oppose the decision of selling 10 per cent of the land alloted to the institution for commercial purposes as this is totally against the Constitution of AIIMS and is being imposed without proper consensus among the resident doctors, faculty members and research students," he said.
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Besides, MoUs were signed with HSCC (India) Limited and with HITES HLL Life Care Ltd to expand infrastructure and other facilities.
The agreement with HLL Infra Tech Services Limited (HITES) is for procurement of all types of Medical Equipment and Services including Medical Gas distribution system, CSSD, Modular Operation Theatres for National Cancer Institute, AIIMS, Jhajjar, Haryana.]

Similarly, HSCC has been selected as a project management consultant for the design, tendering, supervision of engineering components and for equipment procurement and allied infrastructure works for the proposed National Cardiovascular Institute, (NCVI) at the AIIMS second campus at Jhajjar.
The Health Minister assured that the Government is committed to ensuring that the new AIIMS will meet the same standards of service as AIIMS, New Delhi.
He noted that the new Institutes will be "AIIMS" and not "AIIMS-like".
"Innovation for cost effective and affordable healthcare is the need of the day. To take up all these challenge AIIMS needs strengthening and expansion of its facilities. Which we are committed to provide," Nadda said.

Naidu stressed that premier institutes should be set up in every state of the country as India is well on its way to becoming a medical hub in the world.
Naidu and Nadda also gave away the AIIMS Leadership Excellence awards at the function.