AERB Approval for LINAC in India: Roadmap, Documents & Timeline

If you’re a hospital founder, radiation oncologist or administrator planning a radiotherapy facility, you already know the big picture: a LINAC changes the clinical capability and credibility of your hospital. What many teams underestimate is the operational reality behind it—approvals, design dependencies, timelines, and the cost of rework.

This post is a founder-friendly guide to AERB approval for LINAC in India—with clear steps, the LINAC AERB approval process, practical documentation checklists, and timeline expectations based on published processing times. AERB processes regulatory consenting through the eLORA portal, starting from institute registration.

Important: AERB approvals are from a radiation safety standpoint; civil, municipal and other statutory approvals are separate and still your responsibility.

Table of Contents

Why LINAC approvals feel difficult (and how to simplify them)

The phases of AERB approvals for radiotherapy

Step-by-step roadmap (eLORA workflow)

documents required for AERB LINAC approval (checklist)

AERB approval timeline for LINAC (realistic planning)

Common rejection/delay reasons (and how to prevent them)

The “Founder Execution Model” to go live faster

FAQs

1. Why LINAC approvals feel difficult (and where founders lose time)

Most radiotherapy projects don’t fail because people don’t work hard. They fail because work happens in silos:

The architect designs a beautiful space—but it doesn’t reflect occupancy or shielding assumptions.

The vendor provides a “typical layout”—but the on-ground site constraints change wall thickness or door positioning.

The bunker gets constructed—and only then someone notices the drawings uploaded in eLORA don’t match “as-built”.

The timeline is planned around machine delivery, not around approvals and readiness.

AERB itself advises that layout planning should take inputs from management, oncologists, medical physicists, equipment suppliers, and architecture—because the drawings must convey a 3D understanding and occupancy around the installation.

The solution is not “more follow-up.” It’s better integration: approvals + design + construction + documentation managed as one project.

1. The approval system in India: AERB + eLORA

For radiotherapy facilities in India, the regulatory consenting workflow is handled through the eLORA system. AERB explicitly notes that applicants obtain the requisite licence through eLORA and must first register the institute in eLORA.

That’s why eLORA radiotherapy approval is not a single step—it’s a sequence of approvals and intimations that should map to your project execution plan.

Also note: radiation professionals can have independent registration as “Radiation Professionals” and then get associated with the facility processes.

1. The LINAC AERB approval process: Step-by-step roadmap

Below is a field-tested roadmap you can align with your Gantt chart.

Step 0 — Decide the “scope of radiotherapy” early

Before you apply, lock:

LINAC energy class and intended workload (broadly)

Bunker placement in the master plan

Patient flow: OPD → simulation → planning → treatment

Adjacent rooms: control room, mould room, waiting, TPS, staff areas

Why it matters: changing the make/model/specification later can force revisions and re-submissions. eLORA radiotherapy guidelines caution about re-submitting site & layout when there are specification changes.

Step 1 — Institute registration on eLORA (foundation step)

AERB notes institute registration is the first step for obtaining licences through eLORA. Also, eLORA institute registration requires PAN of the institute as a mandatory requirement (not just the employer’s PAN).

Founder tip: Do this early—many teams wait until civil work starts, and then approvals become the critical path.

Practical upload tip: eLORA pages note file size constraints and accepted formats (commonly 2 MB per upload, with allowed file types).

Step 2 — Onboard key roles (RSO + medical physics readiness)

Your RSO and medical physics ecosystem should be planned at the start. Even if the RSO approval is processed separately, your documentation quality depends on who is supervising shielding assumptions, room occupancy, QA intent, and commissioning readiness.

Step 3 — Site & Layout Approval (SLA): the “do not build before this” milestone

AERB’s radiotherapy site/layout drawing guidelines state the first step to establish a radiotherapy facility is to submit site and layout plan through eLORA and get it approved. AERB also highlights that it approves from radiation safety standpoint and other necessary siting/construction approvals must be obtained separately.

What is submitted? The radiotherapy site/layout guidelines specify that multiple drawings (PDF) are required and must convey the facility clearly, including site plan, room plans, occupancy around installation, related rooms, etc.

Founder rule: Don’t start bunker construction until the SLA is approved. Even AERB training materials recommend commencing construction only after receiving the approved site & layout plan.

Step 4 — Procurement permissions & related intimations

Once the layout is approved, you move into procurement permissions and receipt intimations within eLORA.

From AERB’s published processing time document for radiotherapy, the consenting stages include (among others): Site & Layout Approval, Procurement of Source, Procurement of Equipment, Equipment Receipt Intimation, Commissioning Approval, Survey Report, and Licence for Operation.

Founder tip: Align vendor PO timelines to these milestones, not the other way around.

Step 5 — Construction strictly as per approved layout (no “site improvisation”)

Your biggest risk is the “small change” that becomes a major compliance issue:

Door opening direction changes

Maze length shifts

Wall thickness changed due to site constraints

Control room glass relocated

Ducting/penetrations added late

When the approved drawings don’t match the built bunker, you can trigger redesign modifications and extra time.

Step 6 — Commissioning readiness, survey reports, and licence for operation

The radiotherapy processing time document shows “Commissioning Approval”, “Survey Report”, and “Licence for Operation” as explicit consenting stages for radiotherapy.

This is where projects often stall: the machine arrives, but the facility is not “approval-ready” because documentation, QA planning, and radiation safety arrangements aren’t packaged cleanly.

1. Documents required for AERB LINAC approval (Founder checklist)

This is the section most founders search for—so here is a practical, grouped list of documents required for AERB LINAC approval. (Exact forms and fields can change; always follow the latest eLORA module instructions and HELP menu as AERB advises.)

A) Institute & administrative documents

Institute registration proof in eLORA (account created)

Institute PAN (mandatory for registration)

Address and establishment details as per registration

Authorization letter / employer details as required in portal workflows

B) Radiation safety team & professional documents

RSO-related credentials/approvals as applicable

Radiation professionals registration details where relevant

Staff training plan and access control intent (for safe operations)

C) Site & layout drawing package (most critical)

AERB’s radiotherapy SLA drawing guidelines specify that drawings must give a complete understanding of the treatment room and occupancy around it, including site plan and associated areas. Your drawing set typically includes:

Site plan showing radiotherapy installation location within campus

Bunker room layout with maze, door, control room

Surrounding occupancy details (what’s adjacent, above, below)

Room dimensions and key components marked

Patient/staff workflow relevance (waiting, simulation proximity, etc.)

D) Shielding & design basis package

Shielding assumptions and design basis (workload, use factors, occupancy)

Barrier/maze/door shielding rationale aligned to the layout

Penetrations and ducts planned (not added later)

(AERB’s SLA guidelines reference using established standards for shielding planning and emphasize multidisciplinary inputs. )

E) Equipment information

Proposed LINAC make/model and key specs

Associated systems: imaging, record-and-verify, TPS ecosystem (as applicable)

Equipment room requirements: power, HVAC, chiller/heat load planning summary

F) Construction and readiness documentation (later stages)

“As-built” verification aligned with approved drawings

Radiation survey report stage readiness documentation

Commissioning readiness pack / QA framework intent

G) Portal upload readiness (practical)

PDFs prepared correctly

File size limits and upload formats met

Version control (avoid “v-final-final2.pdf” chaos)

Why this matters: Most delays aren’t because “AERB is slow.” They happen because submissions are incomplete, inconsistent, or not defensible as a coherent package.

1. AERB approval timeline for LINAC (what to plan for)

Founders need a predictable plan. While real-world timelines depend on application completeness, AERB publishes processing times (Citizen’s Charter style) for consenting stages.

For Radiotherapy, AERB’s processing time document lists (selected items):

Site and Layout Approval: 40 days

Procurement of Source: 30 days

Procurement of Equipment: 30 days

Equipment Receipt Intimation: 20 days

Commissioning Approval: 30 days

Survey Report: 25 days

Licence for Operation: 40 days

How to interpret this as a founder

These are stage processing times, not your overall project duration.

You can parallelize some activities (civil + documentation preparation), but you must not violate dependencies (don’t build before SLA).

If you submit incomplete drawings or inconsistent shielding assumptions, your “40 days” can become “many months” because you’ll spend weeks in redesign and resubmission cycles.

A founder-friendly planning template (high level)

Month 0–1: Institute registration + concept freeze + initial drawings

Month 1–2: Submit SLA + iterate quickly if clarifications

Month 2–5: Build bunker + MEP + procurement sequencing

Month 4–6: Commissioning readiness, survey planning, operational SOPs

Month 6+: Commissioning approval → survey report → licence to operate

This is exactly where Onco Solutions adds value: we remove the “rework months” by designing the approval pack and execution plan together—so your AERB approval timeline for LINAC stays predictable instead of becoming the reason your launch slips.

1. Common reasons approvals get delayed (and how to prevent them)

AERB’s radiotherapy drawing guidelines include a section on common reasons for rejection (a signal that drawing quality is a known pain area).

Here are the founder-level issues we see most often:

1. Drawings don’t show occupancy clearly

If the submission does not explain who occupies adjacent spaces and when, shielding assumptions become questionable. Fix: present the building context with clarity, not just a bunker rectangle.

1. Site plan and room plan don’t match the real campus

Teams submit an early “concept plan,” then the actual site evolves. Fix: enforce drawing version control and resubmit only when consistent.

1. Vendor “typical layout” is pasted without adapting to your building

Fix: convert “typical” into “site-specific” and validate every dimension.

1. Construction deviates from approved layout

Even small shifts can require design modification routes. Fix: site supervision checklists and sign-offs at each civil milestone (before concrete pour, before door frame, before duct penetrations).

1. Documentation is scattered

Different teams hold different versions. Fix: a single owner for the entire eLORA radiotherapy approval package with a strict document register.

1. The Founder Execution Model: how to go live faster (and why Onco Solutions should run this)

Radiotherapy is not only a regulatory journey; it’s a project-management test. The hospital that wins is not the one that buys the “best machine,” but the one that integrates approvals + design + execution + operations.

This is the model we implement at Onco Solutions:

A) One integrated scope (not multiple vendors arguing)

We coordinate:

Clinical workflow inputs (radiation oncologist + physics)

Architecture & bunker planning aligned to SLA expectations

MEP (power/HVAC/earthing/UPS) aligned to machine needs

Vendor coordination (without vendor bias)

Documentation pack that is upload-ready and internally consistent

B) “Approvals-first” design discipline

We ensure the layout is created for approval and construction, not for brochure visuals. AERB guidelines emphasize that drawings must convey a comprehensive understanding and include occupancy and related facilities.

C) Timeline control using AERB stage processing times

We build your project calendar around the consenting stages (SLA → procurement permissions → commissioning → survey → licence). That keeps procurement, civil milestones, and go-live marketing aligned.

D) Inspection-ready facility, not “just completed civil work”

We work backwards from “licence to operate” readiness:

access control

workflow segregation

safety signage and SOP readiness

documentation traceability

E) Experience that reduces expensive mistakes

With guidance rooted in decades of on-ground oncology execution (including leadership experience from Uday Deshmukh), we help you avoid the typical founder pain: “We built it, but we can’t start.”

1. Quick-reference checklist (copy-paste) Before SLA submission

Institute registered on eLORA (PAN ready)

Site plan + room plan + occupancy details finalized

Shielding basis aligned to layout (no contradictions)

Upload files prepared to portal constraints

Before construction starts

SLA approved in eLORA (do not build prior)

Construction drawings locked; change-control process defined

Before commissioning

As-built matches approval drawings

Documentation pack complete and consistent

Survey readiness planned per consenting stages

FAQs (high-intent founder searches)

1. What is the first step for AERB approval for LINAC in India?

Start by registering your institute in eLORA; AERB notes institute registration is required before applying for licences through eLORA.

1. Can we start bunker construction before site & layout approval?

It’s strongly recommended not to. The site/layout guideline states the first step is to submit plans through eLORA and get them approved, and AERB training material recommends commencing construction only after receiving approval.

1. What are the published processing times for key radiotherapy consenting stages?

AERB’s processing time document lists radiotherapy stage processing times such as Site & Layout Approval (40 days) and Licence for Operation (40 days), among others.

1. Do we need PAN for eLORA registration?

Yes—eLORA institute registration guidelines state that PAN of the institute is mandatory for registration.

1. Why do applications get delayed even when the hospital is ready?

Most delays are documentation and consistency issues: drawings, occupancy, shielding assumptions, and mismatch between approved plans and the constructed facility. The SLA guideline itself highlights common rejection reasons, which is why meticulous preparation matters.

Conclusion: the difference between “Buying a LINAC” and “Running a LINAC”

Getting a LINAC to site is procurement. Getting a LINAC to patients is execution. The winners are the hospitals that run a disciplined LINAC AERB approval process with clean submissions, construction locked to approved drawings, and commissioning readiness planned early.

If you want a predictable AERB approval timeline for LINAC, the most practical move is to onboard an experienced partner early—before drawings are frozen and before civil work begins—so your approvals and execution move together, not against each other.

Need help? Onco Solutions can own your end-to-end execution pack—from planning and documentation to vendor coordination and approval readiness—so you can focus on clinical excellence and launch confidence.

Contact: 9819853852 | Website: oncosolutions.co.in