Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
Three civic schools in Bhiwandi to be razed
1,507 students shifted to another building; municipal corporation to check stability other schools after Sunday’s building collapse
After Sunday’s building collapse in Bhiwandi, three dilapidated civic-run schools will be demolished soon.
Eight people died and 22 injured when the three-storey building came crashing down on Sunday. Since, the incident, the issue of dangerous buildings have come to the fore front.
The Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) is on its toes to evacuate dangerous buildings and demolish them. But, it said the school students had been shifted to a new building three weeks ago.
Sunil Jhalke, public relations officer, BNMC, said: “Among the three civic run schools, school number 16 and 28 are Marathi medium while school number 38 is Telugu medium. “
“Around 1,460 students from the Marathi schools and 47 from Telugu medium school at Sangampada have been shifted to Sant Surishwar Hall where classes are being conducted,” he said.
There are more than 75 municipal schools under Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation.
“We had done structural audit of all the schools. The three schools have been earmarked for demolition which would be done in a day or two,” said Jhalke.
The corporation had appointed a panel of engineers to conduct structural audit of the schools.
“As Sant Surishwar Hall is only five minutes away from the schools, we didn’t face any resistance from students and parents,” he added.
Sant Surishwar Hall is owned by the civic corporation so till the new building is ready, students will have classes here.
Jhalke said it will take time to construct the new building and there is no deadline.
“As soon as the old building is demolished, we will start constructing. We will ensure that students get all facilities in the new premises,” he said.
The officials will visit other schools again and check their stability. Kabir Seth building, which collapsed on Sunday, being demolished on Wednesday. The extremely dangerous civic-run school at Sangampada in Bhiwandi will be pulled down.