Top –  Old vintage Picture of 1930’s.

Bottom – photographed by me in 2018.

Both Photographs are taken from almost same location and angle.

After the annexation of Hyderabad with indian union in 1948, India’s most advanced / developed,  princely state of Hyderabad was taken over by the Indian government , Osmania General Hospital was one such building which came under the taking over by the subsequent state government.

It’s almost 75 years ,various subsequent ruling state governments of different regimes,under united Andhra Pradesh  and Telangana , States ,the hospital was used without maintenance, it was a willful neglect.

clogging of rainwater spouts on roofs ,leakages in toilets, seepages in slab and walls , placement of airconditioners units in wrong locations, forcing the structure to slowly disintegrate leading to falling of plaster from ceiling and walls.

Never has the hospital management have tried to access the structure or seeked help of able,qualified experts, conservation architects, structural engineers, this kind of structure requires a panel of in house vigilant heritage experts, to be present at the location itself, “even a nail to be fixed on wall should require a approval from them”.

Thus in recent years the iconic hospital has become a joke , with doctors wearing helmets while attending patients, the dogs found wandering in patient wards, dogs eating corpses in mortuary.

It’s a compelete failure and sheer neglect of hospital administration and management over decades.

All heritage buildings of Hyderabad are surrounded with large pacts of lands, in their boundaries,it has become habitual ” to use the heritage structure until the last breadth of life ” and abandon it and construct a new ugly building in the same land.

The protection of heritage building of any grade, following the norms, does not hold a meaning , under whoever’s custody it is.

The Iconic Osmania Hospital was constructed in 1925 , on a land area of 26 acres ,1400 beds with highly advanced palatial infrastructure, offering free service to all, with lush gardens and landscape.

Produced thousands of doctors and ,many of whom has attained world class fame.

The foresight and concept to locate important  infrastructure/ civic buildings ( Osmania general hospital, High Court, Central library) on either side of  Musi river, thus the skyline of modern Hyderabad developed during the rule of 7th Nizam was concepted to reflect in the flowing waters of Musi river.

The vision of both architect ” Vincent Jerome Esch ” and “7th Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur ” is highly commendable, making “Musi” river and its prestincts a focal point ,resulting in its beautification, taking into consideration non repetitive disaster of 1908 Musi river flood.

The beautification of Musi river, is protection and conservation of all historical monuments situated on its banks, who’s shadows and silhouettes should reflect in the silver water of Musi river again. we are lucky to have such magnificent structures of par excellence.

The hospital has acres of open land , construct a new block in the vast land available , leaving alone the old structure , which should be conserved to it’s original glory and should NOT be used as a hospital again.

My sincere advice to present ruling government in Telangana State , ” YOU HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE CREDIT FOR CONSERVENCE AND PRESERVENCE OF OSMANIA HOSPITAL & ALL HERITAGE STRUCTURES IN HYDERABAD”

©️ASIF ALI KHAN HYDERABAD.