Bhubaneswar: Patients heading to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar will soon find smoother and quicker access with a dedicated ambulance corridor stretching from Khandagiri square to the premier medical institute.
The government has launched a series of road and infrastructure projects to ease congestion on approach roads. The initiative, jointly undertaken by the Centre and the Odisha government, is aimed at saving lives by ensuring ambulances are not delayed in traffic. The plan is expected to benefit lakhs of patients visiting the premier medical institute every year.
A key component of the project is the widening of the road from Khandagiri Square to AIIMS into a three-lane stretch. In the first phase, a 240-metre section from the Khandagiri overbridge to Cosmopolis Chhak will be expanded at a cost of around ₹1 crore. Construction is scheduled to begin on the 15th of this month and is targeted for completion within two months.
To facilitate emergency services, one lane will be reserved exclusively for ambulances, with penalties for other vehicles entering it. Service roads will also be widened, while utilities such as drains and electric poles will be relocated, along with land acquisition where necessary.
The second phase will focus on widening the service road from Cosmopolis Chhak to DN Regalia, where several stretches remain narrow. Encroachments along the Alugada Chhak–AIIMS stretch will be cleared, and organised vending zones will be set up to rehabilitate roadside vendors. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completed the primary survey, and a detailed project report will follow.
Authorities also plan to improve basic amenities around AIIMS, including garbage clearance, sewerage, drainage, internal roads, and street lighting, to create a cleaner and more accessible environment for patients and visitors.
