Even as the Greater Chennai Corporation boasts of Smart Classrooms and state-of-the-art infrastructure, a primary school in Purasaiwalkam in Egmore zone that was inaugurated in 2006 has not been functioning for more than a year and lies in a dilapidated condition now. Due to this, the school has become ground for tipplers and antisocial elements in the locality, complained residents.
The abandoned Corporation school at Dewraj Street near Ethiraj Gardens in Purasaiwalkam
Chennai:
“A portion of the old school building collapsed about two years ago, but the condition of the new building is good in terms of stability. However, it has remained locked for more than a year now and no maintenance has been done thereafter to revive the school,” said K Selvi, a resident of Dewraj Street.
The residents said that the location of the abandoned school building makes the neighbourhood unsafe for them, as tipplers and other antisocial elements gather inside the premises almost every evening and use it for drinking.
“We send our children to a Government Primary School nearby and this school has not seen students for so long. As the school is in a residential locality, it would be easier for us to send our wards to this school. However, we avoid sending our children near that area. Some residents have even begun using the premises as a dumping ground. There is a gate to the school which is not kept locked, which allows free passage for everyone,” said another resident.
Though Corporation officials acknowledged the presence of the closed school building, they refused to give any explanation on the misuse. “We have not shut down any Corporation schools for the past 15 years. We will check on the allegations by the residents,” said the official.
The school located on Dewraj Street near Ethiraj Gardens in Purasaiwalkam has become an unsafe abandoned building for the locals since it stopped functioning. The building is covered with cobwebs and the classrooms are full of dust. Miscreants have scrawled their names, random phrases and even abuses on the walls of the building.
“A portion of the old school building collapsed about two years ago, but the condition of the new building is good in terms of stability. However, it has remained locked for more than a year now and no maintenance has been done thereafter to revive the school,” said K Selvi, a resident of Dewraj Street.
The residents said that the location of the abandoned school building makes the neighbourhood unsafe for them, as tipplers and other antisocial elements gather inside the premises almost every evening and use it for drinking.
“We send our children to a Government Primary School nearby and this school has not seen students for so long. As the school is in a residential locality, it would be easier for us to send our wards to this school. However, we avoid sending our children near that area. Some residents have even begun using the premises as a dumping ground. There is a gate to the school which is not kept locked, which allows free passage for everyone,” said another resident.
Though Corporation officials acknowledged the presence of the closed school building, they refused to give any explanation on the misuse. “We have not shut down any Corporation schools for the past 15 years. We will check on the allegations by the residents,” said the official.