“We have nothing against AIIMS. We have a problem with the name of the station. The buildings being demolished for the station are ours, while AIIMS is only losing part of its parking space,” said Kapila Setia, a final-year MBBS student at Safdarjung Hospital. “The area is referred to as ‘Medical’ or ‘Safdarjung’ anyway,” he added.

The underground station is a part of an extension of Metro’s line 2 which will go up to Gurgaon. As per Metro’s plan, Safdarjung Hospital has agreed to demolish its undergraduate mess, college building, workers’ mess and some others buildings for the station. Students say the hospital’s Eye Operation Theatre will also face disturbance because the Metro line being laid is close to it.

They had approached the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Chief Minister’s Office but it helped little in resolving the dispute.

The students are now planning to file a Right to Information application, following which they will organize a protest march to India Gate and launch a signature campaign.

AIIMs doctors this reporter spoke to scoffed at these moves. “It is a station for the people. Doctors should be working hard at their research instead of worrying about a Metro station’s name. We do not care about the name. If some people are unhappy with it, it can be changed,” said Kumar Harsh, president of the Resident Doctors’ Association at AIIMs.

Delhi Metro says no
DMRC says that it is not going to change the name. “We have received a letter from Safdarjung students and have replied to that. AIIMS is a world renowned institution and recognized by everyone and we will keep the station’s name as planned,” said DMRC spokesman Anuj Dayal.

Safdarjunt students are not pacified. “Safdarjunt Hospital is more significant an Institute among the two, historically and operationally. It was founded eleven years before AIIMs. We have the largest Out-Patient Department in Asia and there are important sites, such as an airport and a tomb named after Safdarjunt,” said Dr Varun Sing.

Source: Hindustan Times