TIMS Sanathnagar inauguration on Ugadi uncertain as construction, staffing gaps persist

TIMS Sanathnagar inauguration on Ugadi uncertain as construction, staffing gaps persist

Work on the upcoming Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) at Sanathnagar was still underway on Tuesday evening, with labourers and technicians wrapping up for the day.  Among those at the site was a worker engaged in fitting glass panels, who said a fresh consignment had arrived only earlier in the day. 

“One consignment of glass came today from Vijayawada. We will now begin fixing them,” he said, adding that interior and rear-side works were still pending. According to him, the remaining work could take another one to two months. “From the front it may look nearly complete, but there is still work left inside and at the back,” he said.

The ongoing construction activity casts doubt on the Telangana government’s latest stated timeline of inaugurating the 1,000-bed super-speciality hospital on Ugadi (March 19). Outside the main gate, workers were seen engraving a stone bearing the hospital’s name, which reads: “Government of Telangana. Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences, Sanathnagar. Centre for Cardiac Sciences and Organ Transplantation.” Passing commuters slowed down to look at the large complex, with the building prominently displaying a brightly lit ‘TIMS’ sign.

Sources indicated that staffing remains a key concern. A full-fledged team is yet to be put in place, and the government is considering deputation of doctors and staff from Osmania General Hospital and Gandhi Hospital. However, the process is still ongoing and not fully stabilised. Even if completed, such deputations are likely to place additional pressure on the existing workforce at these hospitals.

The Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) facility at Sanathnagar, in Hyderabad, on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

A doctor posted at TIMS Sanathnagar said there is still no official confirmation of the inauguration date, including the widely discussed Ugadi timeline. The doctor pointed out that if the Chief Minister were to inaugurate the facility, preparatory measures such as security arrangements and official checks would typically be visible by now. “Deputed doctors have been visiting the site regularly since February 23 to oversee work, coordinate with officials, and provide inputs,” the doctor added.