Experts, Heritage Lovers Decry Plan to Demolish Osmania Hospital

HYDERABAD: The debate over the demolition or preservation of the Osmania General Hospital was effectively put to an end in the public domain as activists, architects and conservationists called for preserving the historical landmark, which provokes nostalgia and emotion.

A recent discussion held at Lamakaan on the issue saw activists, architects, historians and heritage lovers voting in favour of conserving the age-old structure. However, conservationists maintained that any plans of “development” should be centred on the preservation of the historic character of the city.

They said that the state government’s proposal to raze down the ageing structure, citing its dilapidated condition, and replacing it with a new 1800-bed facility was a good idea in developmental terms, but the idea of reconstructing by demolishing the heritage structure was not favoured by all.

“Barbarous philistinism,”, “myopic decision”, “terrible”, “truly horrifying” and “an outright shame,” were some of the reactions doing rounds on social media.

Heritage enthusiasts sought to reason against the demolition proposal with the Spanish term ‘destierra’, which describes the psychological trauma of being uprooted, displaced or dispossessed from a loved place. “The ageing structure is an architectural prowess, with loads of cultural aura and witnesses to our past memory,” a historian said.

Sharing pictures of the first batch of Osmania Medical College on X (formerly Twitter), city-based historian, architect and heritage expert Asif Ali Khan said, “This is the picture of Osmania Medical College student’s union 1952-53. Probably, the first batch after Hyderabad joined the Indian Union. They were trained at Osmania Hospital. Little did they know exactly 70 years later, the same prestigious edifice which trained them would be under threat of demolition.”

“The doctors’ consultation room of Osmania General Hospital was no less than the décor of a five-star hotel but is now in shambles due to sheer negligence of administration. The heritage building stands at high risk of proposed demolition,” wrote Asif Ali Khan, along with a picture of the OGH dating back to 1926, when the Afzalgunj Hospital shifted to its current location.

In a post on X, Scottish historian and art historian William Dalrymple said, “There is, in every other part of the world, a process called conservation,” with him calling the state government’s decision “barbarous philistinism.”

Darylmple’s post gathered huge support.

A city-based architect and blogger, Kartik Dayanand, said, “There’s so much effort and pride attached to restoring our heritage stepwells. Wonder why the same efforts are not being made to preserve an iconic structure like the Osmania General Hospital?"

Echoing the sentiment, city-based heritage activist Sanghamitra Malik recalled visiting the old structure in the 1960s along with his father. “In mid-1960, my father, a doctor in the Army, was posted from J&K. I accompanied my dad to the OGH when he was going to see a friend. I was in awe of the building, which looked like a palace. I cannot forget that,” she said.

In some cases, heritage had to bow out of existence to pave the way for the modern, but the original character must not be eclipsed, experts said.