Gujarat to rebuild Ahmedabad’s BJ Medical hostel hit in AI-171 crash

The Gujarat government has said it will rebuild the hostel complex of BJ Medical College that was severely damaged in last year’s AI-171 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, while families of some victims have urged authorities to preserve the site as a memorial.

Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said on Tuesday that the government will construct a new ultra-modern hostel facility at the same location at an estimated cost of Rs 105 crore.

The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 crashed into the hostel complex in the Meghaninagar area shortly after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12 last year.

The crash killed 241 persons on board and 19 persons on the ground. One passenger survived.

Meanwhile, family members of some victims have appealed to the authorities to preserve the crash site as a memorial space.

In emails sent to authorities and shared by a law firm representing 115 victims, relatives said the site should remain a “space of memory and reflection”.

“For us, this place is not merely land or infrastructure. It is a site connected to lives, memories, grief, and irreversible loss….A memorial would serve not only as a place of remembrance for families, but also as a permanent public acknowledgement of the lives lost and the importance of accountability and safety,” one email said.

The relatives also appealed to the government to consult them before taking any irreversible decision regarding the crash site.