AIIMS, Mangalagiri commences session in 2018-19

Tirupati: The Rs 1,618 crore AIIMS, Mangalagiri is meant to come up within a period of 5 years, if all assistance called for falls in place within the stipulated time frame if not earlier. This was the announcement made by Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) Director-cum-Vice Chancellor and mentor of AIIMS, Mangalagiri, Dr T S Ravi Kumar.

The funds for the project are to be provided in a phased manner over the 5-year span. THe ist phase of work is already underway for which tenders had been decided upon six months ago.

The construction of the out-patient blocks and residential blocks have already begun under the first phase of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), with the Central Government has already released Rs. 272 crore, the Director cum Vice-Chancellor added.,

"The whole campus will come up like an academic quadrangle which was designed by International designers Perkins Eastman of New York and HSCC (Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation Limited), a public-sector unit of GOI, has been entrusted with the construction of the campus. The State government has provided 192 acres of land near Mangalagiri for this green campus," Dr Ravi Kumar reiterated.

The bid for the Rs. 560 Crore second phase is already on with the first phase with about 1,000 beds nearing completion by December.

The Director further spoke of the pollution free campus being promoted with the campus having bicycle paths and motorised battery vehicles along with a separate path for patients, faculty and staff. AIIMS. He highlighted that for Mangalagiri, there will be a helipad for level-1 trauma centre, the Director revealed.

"The in-patient block was designed to give them a sense of good feeling by having a mountain view from any side of building with two blocks will be built in double 'S' shape," he further added.

With two more AIIMS coming up at Nagpur in Maharashtra and Kalyani in West Bengal there is speculation about which of the three is progressing well. Mr. Ravi Kumar commenting on the issue said that

"The progress of this campus may be on par with Nagpur campus though the contractors were saying that our project was much ahead. I am sure, it was going on as per the target now."

The 50 student first semester at AIIMS Mangalagiri will commence session in 2018-19, with entrants gaining admission through the entrance test. A temporary campus at Siddharth Medial College in Vijayawada. Has already been set up as a make do an arrangement for its temporary campus. The student strength will also be increased gradually in the coming years.

Since the classrooms in existence cannot be used for two institutions under MCI norms, a new facility is being set up in a cost-effective manner, said Dr Ravikumar.

Rs 6.5 crore released by the state government will be utilized to raise a temporary campus which will have octagon-shaped buildings and be complete in May.

"As the residential complexes at Mangalagiri will be completed by December, now, we are looking for apartment complexes in Vijayawada to house the students, faculty and staff," he said.

The Deputy Director, recruited for the campus will work with its mentor institute, JIPMER, Pondicherry, The two together have already taken up faculty recruitments; and soon interviews may be held in Chennai, he revealed.

"The Mangalagiri campus will have virtual classrooms with faculty from SVIMS, JIPMER and other institutes of repute can teach students from day one. I am very keen to introduce more academic innovations in the new campus," Dr Ravi Kumar told the Hindu.