HYDERABAD: It’s official, the In-Patient (IP) block of Osmania General Hospital (OGH), a soaring heritage structure on the banks of Musi, will be replaced with four multi-storied towers. Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao passed instructions to this effect on Monday, and directed complete modernisation of the hospital.
At a review meeting held at his camp office, Rao discussed the situation of the hospital, which is nearly a century old. He said that patches of the dilapidated building chipping off posed a threat to patients, and instructed proposals to be prepared for its replacement.
The chief minister said that the State government is ready to spend whatever it takes. The IP block sits on an eight-acre land. The proposal to replace the heritage structure, and six-plots beside it, was in talks for the past a few months.
Sources confirmed that the idea is to bring down IP block, and construct 15 storied buildings, three to four of them, after bringing down the block.
“Also, a ground plus two floor building with same design of the heritage structure will be constructed. It will be part of the hospital,” said the source. The option of constructing new buildings for the hospital, in, or outskirts of the city was ruled out.
Doctors of OGH pointed out the threat to patients and health staff because of patches of IP block’s ceiling chipping off. Heads of the departments functioning in the block urged for new premises, and for upgraded equipment to offer better services to people.
Also, they said the premises need to be modernised to retain and gain more medical seats. There is a dearth of Operation Theatres (OT) for the department, and officials are exploring options to use other hospitals to house OTs.
The bathrooms have reached a stage where they are not usable. Staff of the hospital said that the IP block does not support the repair works. Thus, they said, the problem will persist. Though plans to construct new buildings have been there for the past few years, it could not be taken up as heritage committee’s rules restrict the height of new building.
Health minister C Laxma Reddy, energy minister G Jagadish Reddy, chief secretary Rajiv Sharma, principal secretary of Health and Family Welfare department Suresh Chanda, Director of Medical Education Dr M Ramani, and others were present at the meeting held on Monday.
Going, going, gone...
Designed by Vincent Esch in 1921 in Indo-Sarcenic style
IP block with a domed atrium, a declared heritage structure, will be brought down to construct 15-storied towers
Four towers would be constructed
The IP block built on eight-acre land.
Land measuring six-acres beside the IP block would also be used
A G+2 structure with the same design as the heritage building would be constructed