The Gujarat government has unveiled a ₹547-crore redevelopment plan for the New Mental Campus in Ahmedabad, where the Air India AI171 crash in June 2025 claimed 260 lives and severely damaged hostel and dining facilities.
The affected campus, located next to Asarwa Civil Hospital and spread over nearly 1.71 lakh square metres, previously housed staff quarters, student hostels, a canteen, and utility infrastructure built between 2015 and 2016. Several of these structures, including the Atulyam hostel blocks and the mess building, were destroyed in the crash.
Health Minister Praful Panseria said the state aims to transform the site of the tragedy into a centre for healthcare and medical education, creating facilities that serve future generations of students and patients.
Under the first phase of redevelopment, around 25,000 square metres of the crash site will be used to establish a Paraplegia and Spine Hospital, a rehabilitation centre, a physiotherapy college, and a 500-bed student hostel. The rehabilitation complex, physiotherapy institute, and hostel have received a budget allocation of ₹175 crore, while ₹120 crore has been earmarked for the specialised spine hospital.
The state also plans to rebuild and expand residential facilities for students. New accommodation for married postgraduate students, comprising 510 units across eight multi-storey blocks, will be developed near the existing Sopanam Hostel at an estimated cost of ₹192 crore.
In addition, the campus will house a new Food and Drugs Laboratory designed on the lines of Vadodara’s NABL-approved facility. The proposed laboratory project is expected to cost around ₹50 crore, with initial budgetary support already provided for 2025-26.
Following the crash, authorities arranged temporary housing and dining facilities for displaced students. Officials have now decided to demolish all structures that suffered irreparable damage and utilise the land for the new healthcare projects.
The redevelopment marks a significant effort to rebuild after one of the state’s worst aviation tragedies. By replacing damaged structures with advanced medical, educational, and rehabilitation facilities, Gujarat hopes to convert a site of immense loss into a centre dedicated to healing, learning, and public service.
(Image: AI generated)