BMC ad warns that illegal school in Dahisar to be razed

The BMC recently asked the parents of children studying at Matruchhaya School and Degree College in Dahisar not to take admission in the coming academic year via an advertisement. The ad said that the institution is housed in an illegal building and will be demolished by June or July according to a notice served.

The management got a rude shock when they read about the demolition in a newspaper. It claims that the institution is running as per the Right to Education Act guidelines and also has a no-objection certificate from the state government. The institution was established in 2000 on land owned by the school management. It has Gujarati and English-medium schools from Stds I to X and another building with a college from Std XI to graduation.

The advertisement published in a newspaper talks about the demolition of Matruchhaya School and College

Ahmed Lalani, secretary, Lexicon Global School and Matruchhaya College of Commerce and Science, said, "The school got all the clearances from the BMC with certificates to prove it. A letter from the BMC given in 2002 states that there is no objection. It has the signature of then assistant commissioner of R-north ward. We will approach the court to stop any action by the BMC against our school. We own the land and so our building cannot be illegal."

BMC assistant commissioner for R-north ward, Santoshkumar Dhonde, said, "The school and college building of Matruchhaya is unauthorised. The land is meant for recreation, or a playground. The building was built in 1995 without any permission. The school management has slowly built several floors without getting necessary sanctions from the building proposal department.

A notice has been served to the management under BMC Act 351 that their structure will be demolished in June or July. The advertisement was to alert parents and give them time to look at other schools or colleges."u00a0While the BMC is all ready to demolish the structure but the education department (western zone) is not aware of the notice served to the institution.u00a0