Heritage activists criticise Telangana govt decision to demolish Osmania Hospital building

Telangana governments decision to demolish the building of Osmania General Hospital (OGH) has triggered widespread criticism.

Historians and heritage lovers have voiced concerns over the governments move to raze down the heritage structure.

The iconic OGH building is over 150 years old and is considered a heritage structure.The last Nizam of Hyderabad Osman Ali Khan had commissioned the hospital built on 26.5 acres of land abutting the river Musi, and it was designed by British architect Vincent Jerome Esch.William Dalrymple, Scottish historian and Jaipur Literature Festival co-director has termed the governments 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.

Heritage activists, however, have opposed the move saying the government should preserve the main building as it is part of Hyderabad’s heritage.The activists have suggested that other buildings can be demolished and existing vacant land can be used to build a new hospital.