Bihar chief minister Nitish Kunar on Tuesday said that the proposed site at Shobhan in Darbhanga was the ideal place for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and if the Centre wants to build it, it would be possible only there.
The chief minister’s statement came a day after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation presented a memorandum to Bihar governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, accusing the state government of delaying AIIMS Darbhanga due to political reasons.
“I want it (AIIMS) to be built and if they have to do it, they will have to do it there (Shobhan) only. I am telling them to see the location. We will give land free and also ensure land filling and road connectivity. But they don’t like what we say. They say it is low lying, but it will not remain so. It will be lifted,” Kumar told media persons after the inauguration of JP Gangapath Phase-2 in Patna.
“Else, they can do whatever they want. Earlier we had offered development of the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) as AIIMS and they initially agreed, but later said they would like to do it separately,” he added.
He said the government has also planned to develop DMCH on the lines of Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH).
“Both PMCH and DMCH have rich legacy. We will develop DMCH also, but for AIIMS there are some problems there due to accessibility. The site that we proposed at Shoban is linked to four-lane road and after land filling, it will be perfect for AIIMS. Had they given their nod, by now things would have advanced. But we don’t know why they are objecting to it and what has come to their mind,” he added.
Kumar said that the media persons should go with him to the spot at Shobhan in Darbhanga and the officials will describe how the construction would be done there. “It will also help Darbhanga expand and develop. For AIIMS also, it will be good. It will also be easily approachable from the airport,” he added.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mention of AIIMS Darbhanga during his address to the Panchayati Raj Parishad of West Bengal on Saturday, Kumar said that it would have been wonderful had it been built. “We would have extended congratulation to (PM Modi) for it,” he added.
The Centre had approved ₹1,264 crore for the 750-bed Darbhanga AIIMS in 2015-16 Budget, and in 2022 June it appointed Dr Madhabananda Kar as director. Later in February this year, he was shifted to Jodhpur AIIMS after there was no headway in Darbhanga. The Centre has rejected the Shobhan site, terming it not feasible saying that it is a low-lying area. This has led to a political slugfest between the Centre and the state.
