MCD schools to be community centres?

MiD DAY finds that 17 schools of the corporation are lying in various states of neglect

About 17 schools of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) are lying abandoned since the year 2008 in the various parts of the city as their fate has not been decided by the corporation.


No attendance: MCD School at 6 Tutti, Pahar Ganj in New Delhi on
Sunday. Pic/Subhash Barolia

Located, mostly in the commercial areas, these schools are being eyed by the local councillors for converting them into community utilities like libraries, dispensaries, playgrounds, community centres, auditoriums and old-age homes. MiD DAY did a survey of these 17 abandoned school buildings to check what the ground realities are.

The condition of most of these schools can be best described as beyond repair. The civic agency has paid no heed to the maintenance and development of these 'one- time' schools. A special zone was formed to look into the use of these school buildings which included schools from Karol Bagh Zone, Sadar Pahar Ganj and Chandni Chowk. Apart from the special zone, there are many schools located near Defence Colony, R K Puram and Vasant Kunj which are non- functional and still haven't been decided over.

"As these schools are located in the commercial areas, there were only a few number of students coming there. So, therefore, we had to shift those students to the nearby schools which were having a more strength," said Mahinder Nagpal, Chairman, Education Committee, MCD.

The officials also point at other reasons for the non functioning of the schools. "Nowadays, most people with a decent income send their children to private schools. Also, in posh colonies, the MCD schools remain vacant. Another reason behind this is that during the Commonwealth Games, all the slum were razed by the government and so, all the kids were moved to different areas," said a senior MCD official, who did not wish to be named.

In one of such schools located at Chuna Mandi, Sadar Paharganj area, the school building was rickety and it seemed it had not been taken care of for years. However, residents claim it used to be a school full of students and it was never a problem of students not turning up.

Rajinder Singh, one of the residents in the area for the past 55 years said, "It was a proper school, and a good number of children studied here. But it has been years since it was shut down for no apparent reasons, but only for private interests. We see contractors gathering here frequently with their new plans of converting it into a hotel. I will never let it happen, if required I will get a stay order from the court as it is a threat to the security of the residents here."

Another school located in 6 Tooti Chowk, Sadar Paharganj area, was found to have been closed for four years and a security guard has been deployed to look after it. Interestingly, these days the guard and his family are enjoying their stay in the building that was built in 1900.

While one of the schools located at Mantola, near Sadar Paharganj has been now turned into a Spa and Fitness Gym as the corporation lost the case with the private builder.u00a0u00a0

As per the data given by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), there have been 15-20 cases of complaint like poor infrastructure, no playgrounds and shortage of teachers against the existing and functioning MCD schools in the city.

"There must be a reason behind the schools being empty for long. Most complaints against the MCD-run schools are of infrastructure and shortage of teachers. The civic agency must mend these buildings first and they should be run as proper schools only," said Satyendra Bhardwaj, senior official, DCPCR.u00a0"The government has not yet taken any decision about these schools, even we want to use them as it is a complete waste of land," added Nagpal.

'Aim is to generate revenue'
In 2008, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi claimed that it has many vacant school premises, which can be put to commercial use. The civic agency has come up with a proposal, suggesting alternative use for nine such school plots, which have been lying vacant for the last two years due to two or more schools being merged together.
The schools, which fall in areas like R K Puram, Karol Bagh, Rajindera Nagar, will be surveyed and then the usage will be decided upon. MCD says that school premises in general can be used as local dispensaries, community centres, old-age shelters, hostels, guesthouses, for parking or other commercial purposes. The main aim of the civic agency is to generate revenue and according to their estimates they will earn Rs 500 crore from this project.
While this proposal is yet to get the required approval from MCD commissioner K S Mehra, standing committee and other authorities, the biggest hurdle for MCD will be to get the permission for changing land use of the plot from L&DO. The MCD itself accepts that getting the permission is likely to take time.