British-era hospital rises from ashes to house Covid patients in Karnataka

Work is now underway to make the Bharat Gold Mines Limited Hospital in Karnataka functional for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. The structure has been lying unused for two decades.

Known as the Bharat Gold Mines Limited Hospital or BGML Hospital, it was lying defunct for 20 long years. Established in 1880 by Dr TJ O’Donnell and his brother JD O’Donnell, it has 800 beds and was the largest hospital in Asia in the early 20th century. With Covid-19 cases increasing in Karnataka's Kolar district, MP S Muniswamy decided to make use of this hospital as a Covid Care Centre since it would take a long time to set up a new facility.