October 1, 2025: Parents and local activists are urging the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to make public the latest structural audit of the New Mahim Public School building. The civic-run school was vacated in August after officials deemed the structure unsafe, forcing students to relocate mid-academic year.
The BMC’s decision sparked widespread protests from parents, activists, and members of the Marathi Abhyas Kendra, including chairperson Deepak Pawar and actor Chinmayi Sumit, brand ambassador for the ‘Save Marathi Schools’ campaign. The initiative seeks to prevent closures of Marathi-medium schools and boost enrolment.
Local activist Pranali Raut led the agitation, insisting a second opinion was needed before any irreversible action. In response, the BMC appointed a third-party architect to conduct a fresh structural audit. According to Raut, the report confirms that the building is not dilapidated and could be repaired within six months to become fully usable.
Activists, however, allege the civic body has not shared the report with parents or the community. Sudhir Hegiste, secretary of the Forum for Justice, stated: “Since this is a public school, the BMC must publish the audit report,” and has formally written to the BMC commissioner demanding transparency.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Amit Saini confirmed that the report has been received and referred to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for review, adding that a decision is expected in one to two weeks. Activists argue that sending the report to the TAC constitutes an unnecessary delay, especially as the audit was conducted independently and aligns with the findings of the previous inspection.
The school, serving the Mahim community for over five decades, was last repaired in 2017. In July 2024, it was graded C-2 (unsafe but repairable), but by January 2025 it was abruptly reclassified as C-1, or dangerous beyond repair. Around 700 students have been shifted to other BMC schools, many of which lack sufficient capacity, and no new school has been constructed in the area, raising further concerns among parents.
Source: Hindustan Times
