CHENNAI: Just a week after its inauguration, the Chennai Corporation Middle School at Sadayankuppam in Manali New Town has developed damp and leaky walls following the recent rain, raising concerns over the quality of construction.
The school building was constructed during the previous DMK regime at a cost of Rs 2.35 crore by contractor A Kannan, with a 5% increase in the estimated value. It was inaugurated by TVK Madhavaram MLA ML Vijay Prabhu on October 14. The school has also been identified as a centre to store relief materials, as part of the monsoon relief measures.
When TNIE visited the school on Friday (October 23), the exterior walls appeared a little damp, though there were no visible signs of dampness on the interior walls. Sources said repair work, including painting, had begun on Thursday, a day after the city received 7 cm average rainfall.
School officials said the students had been attending classes in a severely deteriorated old building, where the roofs were leaking, while the new building was under construction. Fearing further leakage with the onset of northeast monsoon, they decided to shift to the new building after the inauguration. As the construction was not fully completed and some roof works were still pending, it led to a few leaks during the rains, they said.
However, residents denied the claim. “Even a staff said that with water leaking and flowing down the walls and staircases at school, they were afraid of potential electrical problems,” a resident told TNIE.
Another resident said that most of the nearly 100 students studying at the facility are children of migrant workers. “If the walls are leaking during the current rainfall itself, it raises serious concerns about the quality of construction. The government must look into the matter and ensure their safety,” the resident added.
Ward councillor A Rajendran said the construction was monitored throughout to ensure quality. “The building was initially built by one contractor and completed by another, at Rs 2.35 crore. I checked with the school officials, who said there had been no leaks. However, some construction work remains incomplete and is being carried out now. We will look into the matter,” he said.
GCC commissioner GS Sameeran told TNIE, “We will entrust a technical team to inspect the building immediately.”