Madras High Court Issues Notice to Speed up AIIMS Construction

The Madras High Court has issued a notice to the central government in response to a petition urging for expediting the construction of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital in Thoppur, Madurai district. This notice was directed following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by KK Ramesh of Madurai, heard by a division bench comprising Justices D. Krishnakumar and Vijayakumar.

The petitioner highlighted that despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone for AIIMS Hospital in Madurai in 2019, construction has yet to commence. Stressing the urgency of completing AIIMS Madurai within the court’s stipulated timeframe, the petitioner demanded penalties for government officials found concealing information or providing false statements regarding the construction progress. Additionally, the petitioner urged for a parliamentary resolution to allocate funds for the hospital’s construction.

In parallel, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin commented on the progress of AIIMS in Madurai, labeling its construction as a political maneuver for forthcoming elections. Stalin criticized the prolonged delay since the announcement of AIIMS in 2015, noting that only contracts have been finalized in the past nine years. He suggested that the timing of AIIMS’ construction would likely coincide with electoral campaigns, framing it as a response to inquiries raised by the DMK, prompting opposition from the BJP.