56 structures to be demolished for new Osmania Hospital as GHMC sets February deadline

Hyderabad: For the construction of the new Osmania General Hospital at Goshamahal, the GHMC has identified 56 structures within the project site for demolition. The structures are scheduled to be cleared by the end of February.

Fast-track approvals and infrastructure clearances

Special secretary Vikas Raj, on Monday, conducted a field inspection to check on the progress of the new OGH.

He ordered civic and departmental agencies to clear encroachments, obtain long-pending police approvals and immediately commence drainage and road works to fast-track construction.

No delay in construction

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy are personally overseeing the project’s progress to ensure there are no further delays in providing world-class healthcare infrastructure to the city.

Special Chief Secretary Vikas Raj's visit was aimed at synchronising efforts between various departments, including the GHMC, police and medical education wings.

Key milestones and deadlines

During the inspection, several critical timelines were established to ensure the construction remains on track:

Site preparation: The GHMC has identified 56 structures within the project site and tagged them for demolition. Officials confirmed these will be cleared by the end of February, paving the way for heavy machinery and uninterrupted construction.

Design submissions: Project consultants have pledged to submit the final, complete schedule of architectural and structural drawings by January 10.

Infrastructure integration: The Irrigation and CAD Department has submitted designs for an existing nala (drain) on the site. The R&B Chief Engineer has been directed to begin these specific works immediately to prevent water-logging issues during later stages.

Resolving administrative bottlenecks

A primary focus of the meeting was the ‘Change of Land Use’ (CLU) status.

The land, which was originally under the Police Department before being transferred to the Director of Medical Education (DME), currently awaits a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department.

To improve accessibility, directions were also issued for:

- The immediate design of a Road Over Bridge (ROB).

- The rectification of a problematic manhole at the hospital entry road that currently obstructs traffic.

- The expedited development of surrounding arterial roads by the GHMC.

A decade-long discussion: When did the works begin?

The journey toward a new building for Telangana’s premier tertiary care hospital has been long and marked by legal and heritage debates.

While the need for a new facility was discussed for over a decade, the formal process for the Goshamahal site gained significant legal and administrative traction in 2023. Following a feasibility report and the resolution of several Public Interest Litigations (PILs) regarding the old heritage building, the State government officially moved toward the Goshamahal location.

Preliminary site works and the official transfer of the 26-acre land from the Police Department to the Medical Department began in earnest in late 2023 and early 2024, with the current administration now pushing for the primary construction phase to launch in early 2026.

“The goal is to work in parallel,” stated Vikas Raj, emphasising that administrative clearances and ground-level works must happen simultaneously to meet the government’s strict deadlines.