HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the State government to file a detailed counter affidavit on the structural strength of the existing buildings of Osmania General Hospital at Afzal Gunj in the city and whether the hospital buildings are heritage structures or not.
On earlier occasion, the government submitted a report before the court stating that it has sanctioned Rs 19.2 crore for conservation, restoration, repairs, renovation and refurbishment of heritage structure at OGH.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy, passed this order in two PILs filed by the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association, seeking direction to the State government to construct a new multi-storeyed building to house the OGH, nursing college and hostel on the existing premises admeasuring about 26 acres of prime land in the city.
The petitioner association says that the OGH is a 150-year-old institution with the existing building itself is more than 85 years old and is in a dilapidated condition and urged for shifting the blocks to a safe location.
Another PIL is based on a letter addressed to the High Court by the senior citizens NGOs of the society, seeking for immediate construction of new buildings to house OGH.
Advocate Sandeep Reddy Sama, appearing for the petitioner association, contended that there are many old buildings on the hospital campus.
Of the 11 blocks, eight of them had become old and unfit for use since they outlived their age. Such old buildings can be demolished and a new concrete multi-storeyed building can be constructed, he said.
Special counsel of Telangana A Sanjeev Kumar submitted that the government had earlier issued orders for taking up repairs in the subject building of OGH. The bench adjourned the case hearing to August 4.