Nearly a decade-long delay in the handover of school buildings meant for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools may finally see movement, with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) expected to transfer several facilities before June. As many as ten buildings, planned under various slum rehabilitation projects, have been at the centre of a prolonged dispute between the civic body and the SRA, worsening the shortage of classrooms across Mumbai amid rising student enrolments.
The delays have stemmed from multiple issues. In certain cases, the BMC declined to take possession due to the absence of basic amenities. In others, the SRA or private developers reportedly failed to construct school buildings in line with prescribed norms or did not clearly demarcate them from residential structures. Senior officials said some of these buildings have been pending since as early as 1999, leaving the education department grappling with infrastructure gaps for years.
Prachi Jambhekar, deputy commissioner (education) of the BMC, said that the civic body was making sustained efforts to resolve the issue through site visits and regular communication with the SRA. According to her, the process has now gained momentum and the handovers are expected to begin soon.
Officials from the SRA indicated that five school buildings are likely to be handed over before the start of the next academic year. A completed building at Shraddha Rahivashi Sangh CHS in Parel is awaiting takeover, with the BMC seeking compliance on requirements such as a fire no-objection certificate (NOC). Its handover is expected by June. Similarly, a school at Sai Chhaya SRA CHS in Ghatkopar is pending a fire NOC and is likely to be transferred by March.
In Bhandup West, construction at Harijan Colony on Tank Road is complete, and a joint inspection has been conducted. After minor additional work, the building is expected to be handed over by March. In Mulund village, a primary and secondary school building is ready, with lift installation and fire safety work pending, and handover expected by April. Schools in Sahar Village and Borivali are also nearing completion, with clearances underway.
However, projects in Chembur Village, Siddharth Nagar in Bandra, and Mahavir Nagar in Kandivali remain under construction and may take up to two years. A school project in Lower Parel continues to be stalled due to pending environmental approvals, with handover now projected only by December 2031.
