
AMTZ hosts meet to develop India's first accessibility rating system for buildings
Three expert committees will meet to establish a national standard for accessibility. Once adopted, the Purple Certification will serve as a voluntary yet widely recognised benchmark for schools, hospitals, shopping complexes, corporate offices, and even housing societies.
On June 11-12, more than 50 leading national experts in accessibility, disability rights, architecture, and urban planning will get together at the AMTZ campus to deliberate and finalise the framework.
The certification aims at ensuring that both public and private buildings across India are designed and operated in ways that are truly accessible for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant women, and all users with mobility and sensory needs.
The Purple Building Certification scheme is being designed as a structured, scalable tool that will assess buildings based on universal design principles. It will include detailed checklists, tiered ratings (basic to excellence), and measurable benchmarks covering entrances, ramps, signage, washrooms, elevators, pathways, and digital accessibility.
Jitendra Sharma, MD & founder CEO, AMTZ said: 'Accessibility should not be seen as an exception but as the foundation of every building in a truly inclusive nation. With the Purple Building Certification, AMTZ is proud to lead a national movement that redefines how India builds—ensuring dignity, safety, and equal access for all, including Divyangjans.'
The Purple Certification scheme is envisioned as a core tool in institutionalising accessibility across public spaces. Experts believe the Purple Building Certification could be a game-changer—filling the long-standing gap between progressive laws and real-world implementation. By uniting the government, private sector, civil society, and persons with disabilities, the scheme aims to build truly inclusive cities.
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Hans India
09-08-2025
- Hans India
Advanced ortho implant manufacturing facility to be housed in AMTZ
Visakhapatnam: Ina landmark collaboration that spans three continents, OIC International (USA), Medi Mold, part of the Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone (AMTZ) (India), and AddUp, a subsidiary of Fives Group (France) announced a strategic partnership to establish India's most advanced orthopaedic implant manufacturing facility. This trilateral arrangement marks a decisive step towards transforming India into a global hub for high-performance orthopaedic implants while aligning with the Indian government's 'Make in India' and medical self-reliance initiatives. Powered by 3D-printing and precision engineering, the facility will be housed in AMTZ, India's flagship medical device manufacturing park. OIC is launching the first-of-its-kind line of implants manufactured in India using advanced additive 3D technology designed for both domestic and global markets. Developed with proprietary technology, these implants aim to significantly reduce post-surgery recovery time while delivering cutting-edge solutions at a fraction of the cost and can be produced on a mass scale, close to the delivery points. 'This partnership reflects our commitment to making world-class orthopaedic implants affordable and accessible in India,' said Shetty, CEO of OIC International. Further, the CEO stated that India is a key strategic market, and 3D printing is the platform that enables them to innovate, lower costs, and meet the country's growing surgical needs. 'By manufacturing locally at AMTZ, we align with the government of India's Make in India vision delivering global-quality care to Indian patients,' he emphasised. At the core of the initiative is AddUp's cutting-edge metal additive manufacturing technology, which will serve as the backbone of the new facility. By enabling the production of geometrically complex, patient-specific implants with reduced material waste, 3D printing introduces a paradigm shift in how orthopaedic devices are designed, validated, and brought to market. The first metal 3D printer from AddUp's FormUp range will be installed at AMTZ, enabling rapid prototyping and market entry. This infrastructure, operated by Medi Mold, will ensure speed, flexibility, and efficiency in manufacturing, a vital combination for meeting the growing orthopaedic demand in India and abroad. 'Orthopaedic implants have traditionally been a business of machining. For the first time, 3D printing and modern manufacturing techniques are coming to play a role in modern implants. AMTZ and its scientific facilities, quality control systems and supporting infrastructure such as Gamma Sterilisation is the right place for 3D printed implant production in India. We look forward to making this a global supply chain benefiting patients with high quality implants,' underlined Jitendra Sharma, MD and CEO of AMTZ. Partnership of Medi Mold, Fives and OIC with AMTZ will create a global centre for 3D printed implants in India. Supporting innovation, equity, and market access through this partnership, the collaboration aims to address three fundamental challenges in orthopaedics. They include technology-led innovation, affordability and market access. The new facility will offer an integrated manufacturing platform for low-cost implants for public sector procurement, supporting government hospitals and healthcare schemes. Meanwhile, OIC will have the ability to support India's fast-growing private healthcare market. 'By joining forces with OIC International and Medi Mold, we're accelerating access to innovative, high-performance medical solutions through additive manufacturing,' said Julian Marcilly, president of AddUp.' The collaboration marks a strategic milestone for AddUp, enabling it to bring industrial metal 3D printing expertise to the Indian market and support the production of next-generation orthopaedic implants. Emphasising on the partnership built on shared vision, executive director at Wodehouse Capital Advisors, Mumbai, Sraboni Haralalka, said, 'We are proud to have been entrusted with the India Entry mandate by OIC International. This collaboration brings together leading innovators to disrupt the orthopaedic implant market in India by delivering cutting-edge technology at accessible prices.' Wodehouse Capital also noted significant investor interest, from both financial and strategic players, looking to tap into India's rapidly growing medical devices sector.


Time of India
27-07-2025
- Time of India
Late Bhanutai Gadkari Memorial Diagnostic Centre inaugurated: MRI at Rs1,200, CT Scan at Rs800, X-ray at Rs100
Nagpur: A state-of-the-art 6,000 sq ft facility in north Nagpur will be offering essential diagnostic and dialysis services at some of the lowest rates in the country — MRI for Rs1,200, CT Scan for Rs800, and digital X-ray for just Rs100, and major blood tests at Rs300, which otherwise cost thousands. Remarkably, it is India's first diagnostic centre equipped entirely with "Made-in-India" machines. The late Bhanutai Gadkari Memorial Diagnostic Centre, which was inaugurated on Sunday, has come as a major boost for healthcare infrastructure in north Nagpur. Located at Kamal Chowk, Lashkaribagh, the centre is dedicated to memory of Bhanutai Gadkari, mother of Union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, who presided over the programme when chief minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the facility. "This diagnostic centre will be a milestone in the healthcare sector. Combining empathy with service, it sets an example of how indigenous technology can be used to bring down the cost of essential diagnostics for the common man," said Fadnavis while praising Gadkari's initiative. Gadkari, on an emotional note, said that the centre is not a commercial project, but a service mission inspired by his mother's legacy for compassion and empathy. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your IQ Is 140 If You Can Answer 10 of These Questions Correctly. IQ International Undo by Taboola by Taboola "From my first day in public life, her blessings guided me to serve the poor and suffering," said Gadkari and made an appeal to include bone marrow, sickle cell and thalassaemia treatments under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana. The fully air-conditioned centre, run by the late Bhanutai Gadkari Gramin Vikas Sanstha, features a modern waiting area, paperless operations, high-capacity servers, and trained technical staff. All MRI and CT scan machines have been manufactured in India, in collaboration with AMTZ (Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone), significantly cutting costs compared to imported equipment. "This is the first time in India that a diagnostic centre has been established with 100% indigenous machines. We used to import MRI machines for Rs6 crore. Now, we are making them at Rs2 crore and exporting them too," said Dr Jitendra Sharma, managing director of AMTZ. # WHAT CENTRE OFFERS MRI – Rs1,200: High-end 1.5 Tesla imaging with 16-channel MUSIC technology ensuring quick scans with excellent image quality CT Scan — Rs800: BIS, AERB and CDSCO-approved fast scanning machines. Full chest scans done in just 6 seconds Digital X-ray — Rs100; high-resolution, modern digital imaging Dialysis — Rs750 standard, only Rs250 if NMC provides ₹500 subsidy—free dialysis for donor-backed patients Pathology Tests — Rs300; over 40 common tests included Pharmacy — Generic medicines available at 10% discount


Hans India
26-07-2025
- Hans India
Second advanced manufacturing facility at AMTZ
Visakhapatnam: Ina major boost to India's medical imaging capabilities, Varex Imaging Manufacturing India Private Limited started its second advanced manufacturing facility at Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) campus in Visakhapatnam on Friday. The strategic expansion not only reinforces the company's long-term commitment to India's MedTech sector but also advances the country's ambition to become a global hub for imaging technology and innovation. Welcoming the expansion as a step aligned with India's Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. MD and Founder-CEO of AMTZ Jitendra Sharma termed the development as a strategic move that not only elevates India's manufacturing capabilities in medical imaging but also validates AMTZ's role as a global MedTech innovation hub. With the launch of its second facility at AMTZ, Varex is set to expand its imaging technology capabilities by establishing two advanced manufacturing lines, India's first manufacturing facility for Cesium Iodide (CsI) coating, used to enhance digital X-ray image quality while reducing radiation exposure, and another for medical-grade glass tubes essential for X-ray and CT imaging systems. These technologies, being localised for the first time in India, will bring a full imaging hardware value chain from detector fabrication to X-ray tube assembly under one roof. This pioneering move will not only boost the company's manufacturing strength but also support Indian OEMs, component suppliers, and diagnostic innovators across the country. The facility is expected to position India as a competitive exporter of imaging technologies, particularly to emerging markets and low and middle income countries. The second facility follows the successful operations of the company's first unit at AMTZ, which currently manufactures advanced flat panel detectors, a vital component in digital X-ray imaging systems. These detectors play a key role in modern diagnostics across radiography, fluoroscopy and interventional imaging and their local production is helping India reduce its reliance on imported diagnostic components. The formal groundbreaking ceremony was held in the presence of Andrew Hartman, global senior vice president – Detectors, Varex Imaging Corporation and Vivek Phalle, senior MD and country head, Varex Imaging India and Dr Jitendra Sharma.