Hyderabad: CM Revanth Reviews Construction Plans for Osmania Hospital

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy reviewed the construction plans for the new Osmania Hospital building on Saturday, January 11, with key officials. During the meeting, he instructed authorities to accelerate the land transfer process between departments and other necessary procedures for the proposed site in Goshamahal. The Chief Minister expressed his desire for the foundation stone of the new Osmania Hospital to be laid by the end of this month.

A month ago, CM Revanth also proposed promoting the old heritage building of Osmania General Hospital as a tourist site. However, it remains to be seen how the old building and the surrounding premises will be utilized once the hospital moves to the new location in Goshamahal. On Saturday, officials presented the CM with model maps for the proposed hospital and other related constructions.

Revanth Reddy suggested several modifications to the plans, emphasizing that the designs should account for future needs, particularly in terms of roads, parking, mortuary, and other infrastructure facilities.

The fate of Osmania Hospital’s heritage structure was finally settled last year after the state government decided against demolishing it. This decision came after concerns raised by heritage activists following announcements by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government to demolish the building for a new structure.

The issue surrounding Osmania General Hospital has been contentious in recent years, especially after the hospital was shut down in 2020 due to rainwater seepage on the ground floor. A court case calling for its demolition, filed by a group of doctors, further intensified the situation. Additionally, the shifting stance of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has been a point of concern for activists. However, with the new building now under construction in Goshamahal, the matter appears to be resolved.

History of Osmania General Hospital:

Osmania Hospital was completed in 1925, following the impact of the bubonic plague in Hyderabad around 1911. In response, the Nizam Osman Ali Khan established the City Improvement Board (CIB) in 1912 to enhance the city’s infrastructure. Designed by architect Vincent Esch, who also designed the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, the original Osmania Hospital building is a prime example of the Osmania style, an Indo-Saracenic architectural genre. The heritage building remains an integral part of Hyderabad's 20th-century skyline and riverscape.