AIIMS to come up at Sengipatti, reveals RTI document. The Hindu Chennai 10.06.2017

The Hindu 10.9.2017
TAMIL NADU

AIIMS to come up at Sengipatti, reveals RTI document

CHENNAI, JUNE 10, 2017 00:00 IST
UPDATED: JUNE 10, 2017 04:40 IST

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Village in Thanjavur identified as most suitable location
A response to a query under the Right to Information Act has revealed that the Centre has chosen Sengipatti in Thanjavur for setting up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

In a letter dated May 4 to Sunil Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, State Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan referred to a memorandum presented by the Chief Minister on February 27 to the Prime Minister, wherein he had requested that “the decision to locate the proposed AIIMS at Sengipatti in Thanjavur district be announced forthwith and the financial sanction accorded by the Government of India without further delay.”

The RTI applicant was Thinakaran Rajamani, a resident of Mela Street in Kalathimadam of Alangulam taluk in Tirunelveli district.
The memorandum refers to the Central team’s visit to the State between April 23 and 25, 2015, and inspection of five sites, and says: “It is learnt that Sengipatti in Thanjavur district has been identified as the best suited for setting up AIIMS.”
Sengipatti was chosen based on the lack of tertiary healthcare facilities close to it. The annexure to the letter has provided details of all the inspected sites and their accessibility to the airport and the railway station.
Early availability of suitable land has also played an important part. In Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, only 188.08 acres were available. In Pudukottai, the government could identify 200 acres. In Perundurai, only 192.85 acres were available and in Thoppur, Madurai, 198.27 acres of identified land was divided by a gas pipeline.

The most important parameter — health indicators and the gap in tertiary health care facilities — has tilted the choice in favour of Sengipatti.
Sengipattiis surrounded by Ariyalur, Perambalur and Tiruchi districts with no government medical colleges.