Bhopal: Crumbling Walls, Leaking Roofs, Falling Plasters, Yet Classes Continue

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The safety of thousands of schoolchildren is at stake in Bhopal district, where hundreds of government school buildings remain in hazardous condition.

Despite alarming structural damages like crumbling ceilings, cracked walls, leaking roofs and falling plasters classes are still being held in these crumbling facilities amid rains, raising serious safety concerns.

According to district education office, nearly half of the 800 government schools in the district are in a dilapidated state. Of the 400 poorly maintained schools, 40 including 10 within city limits require immediate structural repairs.

Notable Cases:

Bakania village, Santnagar

Children study in unfinished building

In rural areas, the situation is equally alarming. In Santnagar’s Bakania village, students are forced to sit in a half-constructed school building that has remained incomplete since 2018. The building project, initiated by the PIU department, faced delays when the revised estimate submitted in 2019 was approved only in 2024 that too with objections. Following the prolonged delay, the contractor has now refused to continue the work. Sarpanch Anita Jitendra Nagar has demanded immediate completion of the pending work, including electrical fittings, paint, boundary walls, and access roads. "The children are sitting in overcrowded and unsafe classrooms, especially during rains. This is unacceptable," she said.

Damaged classrooms still in use

Hamidia Girls HS School, Fatehgarh

One of the most alarming incidents occurred recently at PM Shri School in Barkhedi, where a student was injured after plaster fell from the ceiling. Yet, the school continues to operate without any repair work. Similar dangers persist at Hamidia Girls Higher Secondary School No. 1 in Fatehgarh, where a wall collapsed last year. Although some rooms have been sealed, classes are still being conducted in visibly damaged classrooms. Principal Vimla Shah confirmed that a repair proposal was sent months ago but remains pending.

Exposed iron rods and falling plaster

Middle School, Pipliya Bajkhan

At Pipliya Bajkhan Middle School, students study under ceilings with exposed iron rods and falling plaster. The risk grows worse each day with no resolution in sight. Ward 1 Councilor Laxman Rajput highlighted the poor state of two government schools—one primary and one secondary in his area. "We’ve filed several complaints, but no action has been taken," he said.

Repair proposals await funds

District Project Coordinator R.K. Yadav told Free Press that the department has requested funds from the state government, but no allocation has been made yet.

District Education Officer N K Ahirwar added, “We have sent repair proposals for 400 schools so far. Surveys for the remaining schools are ongoing. Work will begin as soon as funds are released.”

Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, Collector said, "We have instructed all the schools that no classes should be continued in dilapidated classrooms. In the next TL meeting the pending repair cases in all those schools will be discussed and all the renovation work will be started soon."