KOCHI: The availability of a single parcel of 200 acres of land. It’s location in a central district, along NH 544, and proximity to Kochi, a leading medical hub. Thrissur’s Koratty appears to have much going for it as Keralam lays the groundwork for the much-anticipated All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
And with adequate political backing, Koratty could emerge as a strong contender, given its advantages over other locations identified by the state government.
Soon after the UDF came to power, Chalakudy MLA K J Saneshkumar Joseph presented a motion in the assembly urging the state government to include Koratty among the locations for the proposed AIIMS. It is reliably learned that Koratty made the final list sent to the Union ministry of health.
The central government mandates 200 acres of contiguous land and related infrastructure, including road connectivity, water supply and electricity -- provided free of cost by a state government-- to establish an AIIMS-style super specialty hospital and teaching institute. States should also take care of the necessary clearances.
In keeping with the conditions, Koratty is a prime candidate. It has 100 acres of land that was set apart for the now-defunct Gandhigram Government Hospital of Dermatology. The Government of India Press, which shut shop in 2022, also has 100 acres of unused land. This in addition to 45 acres of abandoned land of Vaigai Threads Processors Ltd, which suspended operations in 2o13 following labour unrest, next to NH 544.
“The Vaigai Threads and GOI Press plots lay adjacent to each other, bordered by an interior road. Koratty is ideally located for people from anywhere in the state to travel to and reap the benefits of a national institution. Vaikkom is also on the short list, but connectivity could be its undoing. We expect a decision to be made without much delay,” Saneshkumar told TNIE.
However, political backing will play a crucial role in realising the long-drawn dream. With minister of state Suresh Gopi completing two years as a Lok Sabha MP, he is expected to have a say in the outcome.
He has been quoted over the years urging the state government to provide the list of identified land. Though he first recommended Alappuzha, he quickly pivoted to Thrissur, especially after his victory from the cultural capital.
Though Koratty doesn’t fall under his constituency, the fact that it is in Thrissur district could stand it in good stead.
Setting the stage
The previous LDF government first proposed a 252-acre parcel of land in Kinalur, Kozhikode
Later, its list identified plots in Thiruvananthapuram, Kasaragod and Kottayam
Earlier this week, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan said the state would get its AIIMS in the near future.
