Hyderabad: Several people including doctors and the alumni of the Osmania General Hospital participated in a rally from Osmania Hospital to the Medical College demanding the construction of a new building, on Friday.
Junior doctors from the hospital joined the rally in large numbers raising slogans ‘we want new building’, and ‘Jai Osmania‘ on the main road at Osmangunj.
A doctor from Osmania Hospital claimed that the present hospital building which was constructed by Nizam Nawab was over 100 years old.
The doctors further said that they have been demanding a new building for the past 20 years and complained of no response to date.
Protestors claimed that the Telangana government had assured construction of a new building after the formation of Telangana, adding that the Andhra Pradesh chief minister, K Rosaiah earlier had also released Rs 200 crore for the building which is still yet to be constructed.
Stating their agony, protestors said that the rooftop of the present building was almost near to collapse and hence they require a new block to function without risking anyone’s life while on the hospital premises.
In May this year, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi stated that the Nizam-era building housing the Osmania General Hospital will be restored rather than demolished. In addition, a new hospital building will likely be constructed on the premises.
The decision to not pull down the crumbling structures was taken at a meeting attended by Owaisi as well as the Telangana ministers for health and home, and a committee of engineers.
Owaisi stated that the cost of restoration and construction of the new building, be approximately Rs 560 crore, and the proposal will be presented to the Telangana chief minister’s Office (CMO) and then to the Cabinet.
A report would also be sent to the Telangana High Court where public interest litigation with regard to the heritage structure of Osmania Hospital was being heard.
The Telangana High Court is hearing a case with regard to the fate of Osmania Hospital as the state government had planned to demolish the structure earlier. OGH is a part of Hyderabad’s modern buildings built during the time of the city’s last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan (1911-48).
It may be noted that the structure is also listed and protected under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority’s laws.
However, no progress has been made so far.
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