Hyderabad: Osmania General Hospital’s flooded condition was a major concern in 2013. When rain water swept into the building, hospitals’s drainage system got worsened. A detailed document comprising 500 pages was also handed over to the state, in order to preserve it.
Independent consultant of planning and a representative of conservation of cultural heritage, Mr GSV Suryanarayana Murthy in 2013 had inspected OGH and prepared the report. In his report, Mr Murthy had emphasised on repairing the hospital’s terrace and removing the water logging.
Neglected on purpose
Mr Murthy’s report was neglected and restoration work did not start until 2014. After the formation of Telangana in 2015, Telangana Rashtra Samithi came into power and gave a nod to OGH demolition. But the public agitation and protests saved the hospital from demolishing. In 2019, the authorities received another report for its preservation. However, the state paid no attention to the renovation.
Telangana State director of medical education on July 22 issued orders to the hospital’s superintendent to vacate and seal the OGH. Following heavy, rains the hospital’s building was not safe for patients and health workers.
Shifting starts in OGH
President of Health Gazetted Officers Association, Mr Jupally Rajendra, had confirmed the shifting process. The patients and officials were shifting to another place, he added. “We are demanding the demolition of this old building as it can fall anytime. Hyderabad has other places like the Charminar and Salar Jung museum for heritage and history enthusiasts,” he told siasat.com.
The public had heavily criticized his statement. “Mr Rajendra was supporting the plans of the Chief Minister and gave no importance to public sentiments”, said conservationists. A doctor from Osmania Medical College, said that they had suspected that the state government would find a reason to demolish the OGH building.
Meanwhile, Osmania General Hospital’s Dr Pandu Nayak said, “Not only the drain water issue, there are several machines which help in treatment of cancer but there is no procurement. The drainage is an age-old problem. The government needs to come up with permanent solutions like replacing the old pipelines, strengthening the old walls and anything which helps the hospital building.”