Construction for 1,000-Bed Super Specialty Hospital begins in Erragadda, Hyderabad

Construction has commenced for the 1,000-bed super-speciality hospital in Sanathnagar, just months after its budget announcement. The new facility is being built adjacent to the Government Chest Hospital (GCH) in Erragadda, while the Chest Hospital will continue its operations independently, as clarified by Dr. Mahaboob Khan, GCH's superintendent.

Preserving the historical significance of the area, the existing Chest Hospital, originally the repurposed Irramnuma Palace constructed in 1888, remains untouched. The 65-acre wooded area now bustles with activity, hosting a construction site filled with workers, machinery, and piles of construction materials.

The design of the new hospital pays homage to the architectural elements of the Irramnuma Palace. The length, pediments, and columnar layout on the lower floor echo the palace's features. The architectural firm Hafeez Contractor and contractors Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd are leading this endeavor.

Initially, the Telangana Government had intended to construct the new Secretariat on this site, as the existing hospital occupied just a fraction of the vast 65-acre land.

The palace, once a hunting lodge built by Fakhrul Mulk, boasted long corridors adorned with Saracenic column capitals and horseshoe arches. Architect Sibghat Khan points out that the palace's design showcased influences from the Moorish order, with Fakhrul Mulk's name inscribed in Kufic script over the main portico.

The Chest Hospital, inaugurated by Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru on September 24, 1952, had been christened as the Tuberculosis Hospital within four years of Hyderabad's merger into the Indian Union after Operation Polo. However, due to neglect, the building deteriorated, suffering from leaks and overgrowth. It was eventually abandoned in 2011.

The construction of the new 1,000-bed hospital alongside the preservation of the historic structure sets an example for the state government to follow, particularly in the redevelopment plans for Osmania General Hospital (OGH). The state government recently disclosed plans to demolish OGH and replace it with a modern facility on the same 35-acre site, aligning with this model of honoring history while advancing healthcare infrastructure.