Tunnel between AIIMS, Trauma Centre to open by November

New Delhi: An underground tunnel connecting the AIIMS main campus and its Trauma Centre is set to become operational by November beginning, thus drastically reducing the time for transfer of patients in critical condition between these two places to three to four minutes.

"At present, its takes around 30 to 35 minutes to transfer critical patients from Trauma Centre to main AIIMS or vice versa as ambulances have to take the congested Ring Road during peak hours.

"Once operational, the tunnel would reduce the travel time to around three to five minutes ensuring quick transfer of patients in critical condition from AIIMS main building to its Trauma facility," AIIMS spokesperson Dr Amit Gupta said, adding that family members of patients and doctors can use the tunnel.

There is frequent exchange of doctors, patients, support staff between the two buildings located 2.5 km apart from each other, Gupta said.

"With the Ring Road outside AIIMS always traffic snarled, it becomes difficult for the ambulances to get out of the main AIIMS building on to the Ring Road. Also, this route will be helpful in case of an an accident taking place on the Ring Road as medical assistance can be rushed immediately to save a person's life," said a senior doctor at AIIMS.

According to AIIMS authorities, the tunnel was supposed to become operational three to four months back but got delayed due to the construction of the surface road which goes from behind the new upcoming block of Safdarjung Hospital upto the Trauma Centre.

"The area was dug up in view of the ongoing construction of the upcoming blocks of Safdarjung Hospital. However, the excavation site is now filled and roads are being laid. By November beginning, the entire corridor will become operational," an AIIMS official said.

The tunnel constructed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is around 800 metres long and the surface carriageway is 350 metres long.