September 3, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to relocate its Tagore Nagar 1 school in Vikhroli to Kannamwar Nagar, 2.5 km away, has triggered strong opposition from parents, education activists and local residents. The civic body has argued that the existing building, constructed in 1963, falls under the C2 category — requiring major repairs and reconstruction.
The Tagore Nagar complex currently accommodates five schools offering instruction in Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada and Urdu, and serves nearly 1,500 pupils from Class 1 to Class 10. For many first-generation learners from Tagore Nagar and surrounding areas such as Surya Nagar, it remains a crucial centre of education.
Parents fear the relocation will impose financial and logistical burdens on families, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. “If the school is moved so far, many children will discontinue their studies,” said the parent of a Class 5 pupil, urging the BMC to identify options within the neighbourhood. Concerns about road safety have also been raised, as the route to Kannamwar Nagar requires crossing the heavily congested Eastern Express Highway, where the foot-over bridge is currently non-functional.
While the BMC issued notices in June categorising the building as unsafe, parents counter that repairs were carried out in 2019 and insist there is no immediate threat. At a parents’ meeting on August 26, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) proposed alternatives, including using nearby private schools built on BMC land whose leases are due for renewal later this year.
Activist Dr Rahul Gaikwad highlighted the economic strain relocation would cause. “Most families here are daily wage earners. Two children commuting to Kannamwar Nagar daily could cost parents nearly ₹200 in transport — unaffordable for many,” he said. Advocate Ritesh Kerkera of the Mumbai North Central District Forum called the decision a “violation of the Right to Education”.
Source: Hindustan Times
