AIIMS works started off sans green clearance

CONSTRUCTION work has commenced at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) site in Madurai nearly five years after foundation stone was laid by the PM in 2019, but the work has allegedly been undertaken in violation of environmental laws without statutory clearances, sources said.

- SV KRISHNA CHAITANYA

While the work started at the site with a low-key 'vaastu pooja' in March this year, the project is yet to obtain the mandatory environmental clearance (EC) from Tamil Nadu State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and Consent to Establish (CTE) from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. Without these approvals, no civil work, except fencing of the site and construction of temporary sheds for guards, can be carried out.

But, as per the pictures posted by the official handle of AIIMS Madurai on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on April 16, several other works are underway.

Men and heavy machinery were seen deployed at the site for constructing multiple structures. According to the pictures, the works underway included soil filling for quality control lab, project office for L&T (which has been awarded the contract for construction), and excavation of earth for the store shed and laying of foundation for weighing bridge.