One year after the devastating Air India AI171 crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 260 lives, the Gujarat government has announced a massive Rs 547 crore redevelopment project to transform the affected campus into a world-class healthcare, medical education, and research hub.
Paying tribute to the victims of the June 12, 2025 tragedy, Gujarat Health Minister Praful Panseria said the state is committed to converting the site of loss into a symbol of progress, healthcare excellence, and educational advancement. The ambitious project aims to create modern medical infrastructure while preserving the memory of those who lost their lives.
The redevelopment will take place within the New Mental Campus in Asarwa, located adjacent to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Spread across 1,71,100 square metres, the campus previously housed residential quarters, student hostels, staff accommodation, a canteen, and utility infrastructure built between 2015 and 2016.
The Air India aircraft crashed into the campus on June 12, 2025, severely damaging the canteen building and multiple hostel blocks, including married postgraduate residences that housed students and their families. Following the disaster, authorities arranged temporary accommodation and support facilities for affected students.
According to the redevelopment blueprint, all structures damaged in the crash will be demolished and replaced with advanced healthcare and educational facilities. The centerpiece of the project will be a Paraplegia and Spine Hospital, a rehabilitation centre, a physiotherapy college, and a modern hostel capable of accommodating 500 students. Around 25,000 square metres of land at the crash site have been earmarked for these developments.
The state government has allocated approximately Rs 295 crore for these facilities, including Rs 175 crore for the rehabilitation centre, physiotherapy college, and student hostel, along with Rs 120 crore for the Paraplegia and Spine Hospital.
The project also includes the construction of new married postgraduate hostels near the existing undergraduate hostel complex. The proposed housing project will feature around 510 residential units spread across eight blocks, with an estimated investment of Rs 192 crore.
In addition, Gujarat plans to strengthen its pharmaceutical testing capabilities through the establishment of a state-of-the-art Food and Drugs Laboratory within the campus. Modeled after the NABL-accredited laboratory in Vadodara, the facility is expected to cost around Rs 50 crore upon completion.
Officials say the comprehensive redevelopment will transform the New Mental Campus into one of Gujarat’s premier centres for healthcare delivery, medical education, rehabilitation services, and scientific research, creating long-term benefits for students, healthcare professionals, and the public.
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