Delhi: Shaky govt school building poses threat to students

However, just a few months after construction was completed, plaster from the walls and ceiling of the building has started falling and the building looks like it was constructed several decades ago.

Shruti*, a Class 7 student of a government school, came back home bleeding after the plaster and building material fell on her head from the ceiling of her classroom.

Damaged ceiling and walls in Government Boys Senior Secondary School no. 2 in north-west Delhi’s Mubarakpur Dabas. (Arun Sharma/HT)

Students of Government Boys Senior Secondary School no. 2 in north-west Delhi’s Mubarakpur Dabas shifted to the newly-constructed two-floor building six months ago. The school runs in double shift — girls in the morning and boys in the evening.

However, just a few months after construction was completed, plaster from the walls and ceiling of the building has started falling and the building looks like it was constructed several decades ago.

When HT visited the school, there were stones lying on the floor, which the school management committee members said, had fallen from the ceiling and wall. In some classrooms, the desks, chairs and the floor were covered in sand and dust.

“This has happened because poor quality construction material was used. The safety of thousands of students is at stake,” said Surender Hooda, school management committee (SMC) member.

There are around 1,800 students in the morning shift and 1,500 in the evening. The school has 40 classrooms.

The principal of the evening shift said that a complaint has been sent to the government and repair has started.

“It concerns the safety of our children so we have asked the government for necessary action. This building was built by the public works department,” said Lal Singh, principal of the school.

Education director Saumya Gupta said that the PWD should answer why the building is in such a bad state. “The head of the school has been given the power to start the repair work and told that the children should be kept away,” said Gupta.

However a senior PWD official said he will not be able to comment on the matter due to lack of details.

“It took three years to build the school. Even earlier, when it was being built, four rooms had collapsed and the work was re-started after a lot of problems,” said Hooda.

The new school building was built at an estimated cost of `4.5 crore.

“The school is located close to the main road so when heavy vehicles pass by, the building shakes,” said Javed Akhlaqi, the vice-chairman of the school SMC.

(*Name of the student has been changed to protect identity)