
Hyderabad: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Goshamahal area, challenging the state government’s proposal to relocate Osmania General Hospital (OGH).
The petition was filed by Munukuntla Anand Goud, a resident of Gowliguda who urged the authorities to reconsider the proposed relocation of OGH. Goud argued that the move would cause significant hardships for the residents of Goshamahal and called for the continuation of the hospital’s construction at its existing site.
Telangana HC responds
In response of the PIL, The Telangana High Court on Tuesday, January 29 expressed its reluctance to interfere with the state government’s policy decision to relocate OGH. However, the court directed Advocate-General A Sudarshan Reddy to clarify the government’s stance on the petition regarding the proposed shift.
Justice B Vijaysen Reddy was hearing a petition filed by Munukuntla Anand Goud.
According to DC report, Justice Vijaysen Reddy hearing petition noted that courts generally do not interfere with government policy decisions and emphasized that the government had the authority to move the OGH to provide better facilities to the public.
He also drew a parallel pointing out that the High Court itself, currently housed in a 100-year-old building was being relocated to offer improved facilities.
Additionally, the judge raised an objection to the inclusion of chief minister A Revanth Reddy as a respondent in the petition, questioning the basis for this. The court instructed the petitioner to remove CM’s name from the list of respondents.
The court has directed the Advocate-General to submit the government’s response by February 18.
CM to lay foundation stone for new Osmania General Hospital on Jan 31
On August 3, Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy announced that the new building of the OGH will be built on 30 acres in Goshamahal, while the existing old heritage building will be restored. The announcement has drawn a mixed response from former footballers who played on this iconic ground.
On October 27, Revenue minister P Srinivas Reddy has announced that the state cabinet has approved the transfer Goshamahal police stadium land for the construction of the new Osmania General Hospital’s campus in its place.
On November 27, GHMC’s standing committee has recommended approval for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the construction of OGH. Additionally, the committee reviewed and approved the income and expenditure related to GHMC for September.
On January 25, at a high-level review meeting at his residence, CM Revanth Reddy directed officials to follow regulations during the construction of the new OGH building.
He is set lay the foundation stone on January 31 .
Officials were told to develop two floors of underground parking so that visiting patients, helpers and staff can park their vehicles conveniently. “Due care should be taken in the construction of the hospital, parking and landscape,” the chief minister said.
History of OGH
The OGH was completed in 1925 after Hyderabad was affected by the bubonic plague around 1911. The city administration then took care of the issue, following which the then Nizam Osman Ali Khan (1911-48) set up the City Improvement Board (CIB) in 1912 to improve Hyderabad’s infrastructure. It was designed by architect Vincent Esch, who also designed the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.
The original or heritage building of Osmania Hospital (along with others like the High Court and City College) is a fine example of the Osmania style or Indo-Saracenic genre of architecture and is an integral part of Hyderabad’s 20th-century riverscape and skyline. The CIB during the reign of Osman Ali Khan had transformed the medieval city into a modern metropolis, complete with infrastructure like the High Court, railway stations, etc.