Decision to demolish Osmania Hospital building triggers criticism

Hyderabad: Telangana government's decision to demolish the building of  Osmania General Hospital has triggered widespread criticism. Historians and heritage lovers have voiced concerns over the government's move to raze down the heritage structure.

William Dalrymple, Scottish historian and Jaipur Literature Festival co-director has termed the government's decision as "Barbarous philistinism".

Writer and columnist Sanjaya Baru has also lashed at the government for razing down the grand old heritage building.

The decision to raze down the structure was taken in a meeting attended by ministers Mahmood Ali and Talsani Srinivas, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and officials from various government departments.

On July 27, the state government filed an affidavit before the Telangana High Court in which it stated its intention to demolish the existing structure due to its unsuitability as a hospital.

The affidavit stated that a new building would be constructed in the 35.76 lakh square feet area. it was a consensus decision that was arrived at during a meeting of ministers Mahmood Ali and Talsani Srinivas, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, and officials from the health department, GHMC, MA&UD, R&B and OGH representatives.

It was found that the existing building had become ‘structurally unsafe’ for patients, which was why all patients were vacated in 2020, thereby decreasing the bed strength from 1,385 to 1,100. The overcrowding in wards and posed challenges like sanitation.