After a decade, spade work for AIIMS Darbhanga gains pace
Construction of AIIMS Darbhanga has begun, with a boundary wall and entrance gate visible, after years of delays; completion is targeted by April 2028.
Nearly a decade after it was first announced — and across two Lok Sabha and three Assembly elections — the first clear signs of construction for the proposed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Darbhanga have finally begun to emerge. An under-construction boundary wall is now visible from the Shobhan–Ekmi bypass, along with the skeletal structure of its entrance gate.
The long-awaited project had seen little progress due to repeated procedural delays, land-related complications, relocation from the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) campus to Shobhan, and multiple administrative hurdles. Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the bhumi pujan for the project on November 13, 2024, raising hopes that work would soon accelerate. A year has passed since.
Despite the still-slow pace on the ground, officials maintain that substantial progress is being made behind the scenes.
“The visibility may be less, but a lot of progress is going on in the background. You will see the full AIIMS before the next election, and it will be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister,” said Dr Madhbanand Kar, executive director of AIIMS Darbhanga, in an informal interaction on Tuesday — a strong hint that agencies have now taken up cudgels to compensate for missed deadlines.
Construction of the boundary wall and the main entrance gate is underway, offering the first tangible indication that the project — first proposed in 2015–16 — is finally taking shape. The development has revived public anticipation that the premier health facility will bring advanced medical care to north Bihar and neighbouring regions.
Dr Kar described the ongoing work as “a matter of great satisfaction” and expressed confidence that the project would be completed within three years from the start of construction of the main building. “Our target is to finish the project by April 2028,” he said, adding that much of the groundwork, though not visible, has progressed swiftly in recent months.
Explaining the timeline, he said the process of finalising the land parcel consumed considerable time. “Once that was settled, the monsoon arrived, followed by elections in Bihar, which engaged the entire state administration,” he said. These factors repeatedly delayed the start of construction.
He also highlighted that AIIMS Darbhanga is being designed differently from other AIIMS institutions. The master plan has been prepared jointly by IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee and the School of Planning and Architecture. Even the boundary wall is unique — designed like an embankment to serve as a protective structure.
“The tender process was divided into two parts so boundary construction and main building work can progress simultaneously,” he said, adding that landfilling requirements are unlikely to slow down the overall schedule.
According to Dr Kar, the state government has several responsibilities, including shifting high-tension power lines, constructing a four-lane approach road and completing landfilling. “For removing high-tension wires, PowerGrid infrastructure must be built to ensure an alternative supply, which requires substantial funding,” he said.
The project site has been visited by the Cabinet Secretary, and the monitoring committee has reviewed planning thrice ahead of the recently concluded Assembly polls.
Budgetary issues also need resolution. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared before the pandemic, and cost escalations since then require a fresh review. Dr Kar said the state government and district administration are in continuous coordination with AIIMS authorities.
On the academic front, he said classes can begin only after the building is at least partially complete, citing the example of AIIMS Madurai. Running classes from an alternate institution, he said, often leaves students dissatisfied, as they need clinical exposure. Given the current progress, the first academic session is unlikely to begin next year. Discussions with Darbhanga Medical College may be explored in 2027 to start initial academic activities until the main campus achieves partial readiness.
HSCC, a subsidiary of state-owned NBCC (India) Limited, has been awarded the ₹1,261-crore contract to construct AIIMS Darbhanga.
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