Mumbai: The BMC's initiative to establish a signal school beneath the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) flyover at Amar Mahal junction has faced delays. The project was sidelined during the lok sabha elections in June. The civic body now aims to kickstart the school post-monsoon.
In 2018, the first signal school was started by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) with the help of a non-profit organisation, Samarth Bharat Vyaspeeth, to educate street children who are deprived of education. The state government considered implementing the signal school concept in Mumbai, but the proposal has encountered setbacks in recent years.
The idea gained new momentum when Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, proposed establishing such schools in Mumbai last year. Following this, the civic planning department identified a suitable location below the SCLR at Amar Mahal Junction after surveying homeless children in the eastern suburbs.
A consultant has been appointed to design, build, and equip the signal school with essential facilities including a science lab, computers, printers, and other educational resources. "The tendering process was delayed due to the Loksabha elections. We now plan to commence the signal school from November 2024, funded by the district planning committee (suburb)," stated a senior civic official.
CCTV surveillance from next month
After a long wait of five years, the BMC will finally install Closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in civic-run schools. In the first phase, 3,000 CCTV cameras will be installed in 100 schools. Currently, more than 3.55 lakh students are enrolled in 1,147 BMC schools. Around 6,000 cameras will need to be installed in the school buildings for the amount of Rs. 24.30 crore. "The installation is expected to be completed within a month," said an official from BMC's Education department.
