Bldg declared unsafe: 18k Colaba BMC school students study online
The campus consists of two buildings, housing sections with eight mediums of instruction, including Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Urdu and English. Together, they have 2,800 students on their rolls. In November 2024, the first notice for demolition was issued. Following this, the principal started shifting students to nearby municipal schools. While students from the Marathi, Hindi, Kannada and Urdu sections were relocated, two English-medium sections with 1,500 students could not be moved. Alternatively, their education has moved online.
Parents and activists are demanding that the BMC demolish one building at a time, instead of shutting both. 'One of the buildings has been marked as C2, which means it needs major repairs but isn't dangerous,' said Shivnath Darade, a representative of Shikshak Parishad, the teachers' union.
Darade also pointed out that in May, the SIC, responding to a query from the principal, said students could attend classes in that building. So the school resumed offline classes in June. However, in a sudden move at the end of June, the BMC's building department instructed the school to vacate both buildings, declaring them dilapidated. This decision left the English-medium students with no physical classrooms from July 15.
A parent of a Class 5 student said, 'We chose this school because the teachers are really good. Both our children study here. But now they're forced to learn online. We are awaiting relocation. There are many open spaces in the area and the BMC should use them.'
To find a long-term solution, parents recently met local MLA Rahul Narvekar. 'He assured us that he would take up the matter,' said one parent.
Meanwhile, school principals, teachers and local officials have been searching for alternative locations since January 2025, after the initial notice was served. An official shared, 'There were two Marathi, two Hindi, and one each of English, Kannada and Urdu medium schools in the premises. We've managed to shift 830 students from the Marathi, Hindi, Kannada and Urdu sections to the Colaba Market BMC School.'
Some older English-medium students from Classes 9 and 10 were moved to the Bora Bazaar municipal school but many parents are unhappy with the conditions there. 'It is overcrowded, and the classrooms are not suitable,' said one parent.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Education), Prachi Jambhekar, said, 'We are looking at various options. Unfortunately, no welfare centres or amenity spaces are available. The Colaba Market location was the only option, and even that had to be vacated by the election office first. We've moved students there and are now exploring rental spaces. We hope to find more space soon.'
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