Underground tunnel at AIIMS awaits formal inauguration

Three months have passed since the underground tunnel linking the main campus of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to its Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (JPNATC) has been ready.

However, it is yet to become operational as the formal inauguration has not yet taken place.

According to sources at AIIMS, the project completion report was sent to the Union Health Ministry almost three months ago, stating the project is complete and ready for inauguration.

"We are yet to receive any intimation from the Ministry about its inauguration. We are just waiting for its formal inauguration," a source said.

The tunnel was expected to become operational in mid-2015, but was delayed due to certain issues regarding clearance from civic bodies for construction of the surface road connecting its exit point near Safdarjung Hospital leading to the JPNATC.

The 614-metre-long tunnel costing Rs 40 crore has been built by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).

It is the first time in India that a road tunnel has been constructed above an operational Metro tunnel, with a minimum clearance of 1.6 meters only.

"All these were sorted out and the surface road has also been constructed and is ready to be operational," said an official.

Once the underground passage is operational, it will drastically cut the commuting time for critically-ill patients and AIIMS staffer, who frequently move between these two facilities from the current 35-40 minutes to around 10-15 minutes.

The tunnel will be also used by family members of patients, doctors and other hospital staff.