Delhi: 34 government schools face demolition over safety, infrastructure concerns

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is set to demolish 34 of its schools to address safety and infrastructure concerns, while constructing 27 new school buildings across the city, an official said. The new school buildings, being constructed on vacant plots at a cost of around Rs 900 crore, are expected to be completed within 18 months, with the sites divided into five geographical clusters for faster execution and monitoring, the official said.

Of 34 schools identified for demolition, work is underway on 16, while nine cases have been approved. Some of these schools have waterlogging issues, while others have safety concerns or are located at sites considered unsuitable for students, the official said.

The move follows a citywide digital profiling exercise covering all 1,090 government schools to assess their infrastructure and safety requirements, the official said.

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Infrastructure improvements

He said the profiling has been completed for all 1,090 schools and the education department is now assessing the data to determine the infrastructure improvements required at each school. Several schools have issues related to electricity supply, dilapidated infrastructure and water, he added.

The exercise involves detailed documentation of school assets at the classroom and building levels, including cleanliness, drinking water facilities, security arrangements, furniture, digital infrastructure, kitchens and laboratories.

Every room in the school buildings has been digitised using 360-degree imaging, creating a permanent digital record that allows virtual walkthroughs and can aid planning and decision-making, he said. Drone-based surveys, high-resolution orthomosaic images and GIS-based visualisation are also being used to support planning, budgeting and monitoring of future infrastructure works. Structural safety is also a key component of the exercise.

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Visual inspections

Specialised teams are conducting visual inspections and non-destructive tests, including ultrasonic pulse and rebound hammer tests. Based on the scientific assessment, school buildings will be categorised for retention, repair, retrofitting or demolition to ensure the safety of students and staff, the official said.

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has also invited bids from Central government public sector undertakings (PSUs) for appointment as the project management consultant-cum-EPC agency for turnkey construction of the 27 new schools.

The 27 sites have been divided into five clusters. These include six plots in Narela and Bawana, five in Bhalswa, Salempur Majra and Dariyapur Kalan, five in Rohini, Mundka and Sawda Ghevra, five in Shalimar Bagh, Bakkarwala, Hastsal, Shyam Vihar and Nangli Vihar, and six in Qutabapur, Kapashera, Jaffarpur, Jaunapur, Satbari and Asola.