Eight-Year Delay in Madurai AIIMS Due to DMK Government, Alleges BJP Leader Annamalai

Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai has alleged that the DMK government is solely responsible for the eight-year delay in the construction of the Madurai AIIMS hospital, asserting that the project has been progressing despite a lack of cooperation from the state government and questioning why Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has never inspected the project site.

Background of the AIIMS Project:
Madurai AIIMS at Thoppur, foundation stone laid in 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, high expectations among residents of southern Tamil Nadu.

Allegations on Delay:
Eight years of delay, postponement in land acquisition, delays in tree felling permissions, administrative hurdles attributed to the state government, continued efforts by the Centre to move the project forward.

Project Specifications and Investment:
Total built-up area of 2,31,782 square feet, estimated cost of Rs 2,021 crore, construction planned in two phases, works formally commencing in 2024, release of a 3D model showcasing the proposed campus.

Political Developments and Clarifications:
Speculation that Prime Minister Modi might inaugurate the first phase during the NDA rally in Madurai on March 1, earlier statements by Tamilisai Soundararajan, denial by AIIMS Director Anumantha Rao citing ongoing construction and completion expected by June.

Annamalai’s Criticism:
He pointed out that Tamil Nadu has the highest number of medical colleges in the country, stated that Madurai AIIMS would soon become fully operational, and questioned why the Chief Minister, despite multiple visits to Madurai, had never reviewed the progress of the AIIMS project or taken up delays with the Centre.

Annamalai further alleged that the DMK government had worked against the establishment of the Madurai AIIMS hospital and reiterated that, overcoming all obstacles, the institution would soon be opened for public use, marking a major boost to healthcare infrastructure in southern Tamil Nadu.