Goshamahal locals oppose proposed OGH relocation

Hyderabad: As the State government is proposing for constructing the new Osmania Hospital building at Goshamahal police quarters and grounds, the locals have strongly opposed the move and wanted the authorities to desist from its idea and relocate the hospital somewhere else in the city.

The locals residing in and around the Goshamahal area like Arya Samaj Mandir, Joshiwadi, Chaknawadi and Kotha Basti have formed a committee in the name of ‘Goshamahal Parirakshana Samithi’ to fight against the State government’s proposal. The Samithi representatives, visiting the nearby areas, have taken up a signature campaign against the proposed hospital.

The locals pointed out that the Goshamahal area is already choked with narrow roads and traffic woes continue to haunt them with all the major markets in and around the locality. There is a big fish market at Begum Bazar adjacent to the Police Grounds, the biggest Kirana and plastic market is also in the area, which makes the road busy all day and night. The Industrial Exhibition held every year during January and mid February also adds to the traffic chaos of the residents in the area and bringing a big hospital would further choke the locality, they allege.

The Parirakshana Samithi leader B Srinivas said that the locals were strictly against the hospital relocating there. He said that people irrespective of their political affiliation are opposing the hospital in the area. “When a hospital comes into the area, there will be a problem of sanitation. Who will be responsible for the safety of the people when there is a COVID-like situation? The area adjacent to Police Grounds is a residential one and if a mortuary comes in there, the people living there will have to face the brunt,” said Srinivas. A representation would be given to MP Asaduddin Owaisi, MLA T Raja Singh, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Health Minister D Rajanarsimha soon, said the Samithi members.

Another Samithi member Vinod Yadav said the area has 60-70,000 population and having a hospital in this area is not advisable. There is a Martyrs Memorial for police personnel here. The present Osmania hospital is ideal as it is near to the Afzalgunj Bus Station but the Goshamahal area is congested with heavy traffic. If emergency cases happen to come here, the patient may die before reaching the hospital because of heavy traffic. They also said that cultural programmes like Mata Jagran are taken up during the Devi Navratri, which will not be happening now.

The Samithi members said that they will be collecting the signatures of the locals and submit them to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy urging him to change his decision. The government can take up construction of the hospital at its original place or can relocate to other places. They can shift to Malakpet where the IT towers are proposed, the locals said.