Cuttack Municipal Corporation to make use of 33 closed primary school buildings

CUTTACK: Buildings of at least 33 primary schools which were either closed or merged with nearby schools due to students’ strength below 10 are now lying unused for the last three years at different locations across the 59 wards of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).  

As per the instruction of the government, the schools were shut down and students were attached to nearby schools. However, the government had not come out with clear instructions on how to utilise the buildings of the closed schools.

Taking advantage of the situation, local influential persons have been using some of these buildings. In some other cases, the closed school buildings have reportedly become dens of anti-socials. However, a senior official from CMC said the civic body has taken the initiative for utilising the buildings of the closed schools for public use.

“The civic body officials have started inspecting the buildings lying unused after the closure of the schools. They have already taken stock of the condition of 14 buildings,” said the officer adding that the officials would complete the visit of the rest 19  soon.

Firstly, the condition of the existing buildings is being inspected with technical teams to ascertain whether they are safe or require repair. If the building is found unsafe, then it will be razed down for construction of a new one for public use. If the buildings need repairs, then necessary work will be carried out to make it fit for serving the purpose, he added.

Due to space crunch, many wards don’t have ward office., also anganwadi centres in the city don’t have their own buildings. Considering the need of the locality, the unused buildings will be utilised for running anganwadi centres, ward offices, community centres, health and wellness centres, micro activity centres, Mission Shakti Griha etc., the CMC official said.