Ernakulam: The Centre’s hesitation to approve the setting up of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kerala has moved beyond an administrative issue and has escalated into a legal and policy standoff, prompting intervention by the Kerala High Court.
Amid the continuing delay, the High Court has directed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to clarify whether the land identified at Kinaloor in Kozhikode meets the central government’s norms for establishing an AIIMS. The land is currently under the control of the Kerala State Industries Development Corporation (KSIDC). The court has also instructed the Centre to carry out a feasibility assessment of the proposed site in coordination with the state government while the matter remains under active consideration.Also Read:Kerala to launch Rs 1800 crore healthcare projects this month, says Health MinisterReporting on the issue, The New Indian Express noted that the High Court observed that, based on submissions made by the state government, the Union government is now obligated to communicate its final decision regarding the AIIMS location. The court referred to an additional counter-affidavit filed by the chief secretary on May 30, 2025, which asserted that the proposed site adheres to the prescribed guidelines for setting up the premier medical institute.
The court further noted that the state government had clearly justified its choice of land. Official records submitted to the court indicated that four locations across Kerala were assessed and found suitable for an AIIMS. These included 200 acres at Kinaloor in Kozhikode under KSIDC, land near the open jail at Nettukaltheri in Thiruvananthapuram’s Thevancode, land belonging to the Government Medical College in Kottayam, and property held by HMT in Ernakulam.
Based on feasibility reports prepared by district collectors, the chief minister informed the Union government in 2019 that the Kinaloor site was the most viable option. From a medical planning perspective, this decision was positioned as crucial for developing a high-capacity institute capable of supporting specialist care, postgraduate education, and medical research.
The affidavit further stated that in 2022, the state government had taken concrete financial steps to support the project. Approval was granted to create a new budget head to cover land acquisition expenses for the proposed AIIMS. A government order dated June 1, 2022, authorised Rs 92.62 lakh for this purpose, followed by administrative approval on June 17, 2022, to utilise Rs 50 lakh from the sanctioned amount.
The state has also initiated a parallel preliminary ground-level work, including the placement of boundary stones to demarcate the identified land.Also Read:AIIMS coming to Kerala, says Union Minister Suresh Gopi
