June 24, 2025: Following the abrupt declaration of the New Mahim Municipal English Primary School as structurally unsafe, over 1,500 pupils have been displaced—forcing primary students, aged between six and ten, to travel nearly 7 kilometres daily to a municipal school in Worli. The school, run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has long served children from Dharavi and other low-income communities.
While secondary students have been accommodated in nearby institutions, no such arrangement has been made for primary pupils, leaving parents in distress. “There is no school transport provided. How are we expected to drop our children all the way to Worli and still manage work? It’s simply unfeasible,” said a frustrated parent.
Originally categorised as C-2 in July 2024—indicating it required repairs but remained habitable—the school building was reclassified as C-1 (unsafe for use) within four months, without visible structural intervention or alternative planning. Parents have criticised the lack of transparency, noting that the school sees long waiting lists each year and is a vital educational hub for the area.
Jyoti Gaikwad, MLA for the Dharavi constituency, has raised concerns with the BMC’s education department. “These are children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Forcing them to travel such distances may result in higher dropout rates. Instead of securing their right to education, the system is pushing them away,” she said.
On Monday, Gaikwad led a Congress delegation, along with affected parents, to meet with civic officials. She proposed temporarily relocating the students to the newly built Kapad Bazar school in the vicinity. Though previously rejected by the BMC for lacking adequate facilities, she argued the site was accessible and suitable in the interim. BMC education authorities have yet to issue a formal response.
Source: Hindustan Times
