A climate-controlled skywalk for patients, a helipad for air ambulances, and quick elevators all sound like amenities in a posh private hospital. No, these will become part of Delhi’s AIIMS once the plan to transform it into a world-class institution is completed.
According to the masterplan, the skywalk will connect the campus and provide a patient-friendly route with climate control, elevators, escalators, and travellators, stretching over 900 meters from east to west. “The skywalk will cover Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, cardio-neuro tower, main building, student centre, new clinical towers, CDER dental department and the Masjid Moth campus,” said an AIIMS official.
Now patient accessibility will become easily
The aim is to provide easy access to patients and their attendants to every department. “The skywalk is expected to serve over 40,000 people per day,” said officials, claiming that it would be one of the most used in the building because it would provide connectivity with almost every building on the campus. It will not only be helpful for patients and their attendants but faculty and students too will benefit. It will be designed to house public amenities including public toilets, lifts, ATMs and benches for resting, said AIIMS authorities.
A rooftop helipad is part of the plans. This is to have the capability of receiving accident victims and critically ill patients who have been airlifted to the institution from nearby areas on the campus. A helipad has also been built at the trauma centre, but it is not yet operational due to a delay in clearance by the aviation regulator, the
Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Although all statutory approvals for the masterplan have been obtained, the budget has yet to be approved. According to AIIMS officials, if all goes well and construction begins on time, the skywalk facility will be operational within two years. “Our five different land parcels of Masjid Moth, Ansari Nagar West, Ansari Nagar East, and Trauma Centre have been amalgamated into one land parcel with uniform development controls under a new category of medical education and research university,” said one official.
