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Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
700 classrooms in Kota's govt schools are ‘ruined'
1 2 3 Kota: Class 11 student Alfi broke down in tears while describing the conditions at her govt school, which has been operating for decades in the nearly 350-year-old Nanta Mahal building in Kota city. Alfi's distress is similar to those of thousands of students in Kota, who are compelled to study in perilous environments. Fourteen school buildings have been identified as requiring immediate demolition to prevent accidents, and around 700 classrooms in 1,057 govt school buildings in the district have been classified as "damaged and ruined". Despite requests for maintenance funds for 200 school buildings, only 26 schools have received allocation of Rs 2 lakh each under SDRF fund. The govt senior secondary school at Nanta, which also accommodates primary and upper primary classes with around 600 students, has been running for decades in the centuries-old building. The school also lacks ownership documents for the building and is ineligible for maintenance funds. Following the school tragedy in Jhalawar, the Kota education department has initiated process for relocating the school. Narpat Singh Hada, assistant sngineer for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SMSA), Kota, who surveyed the school, stated, "The centuries-old Nanta Mahal school is not technically safe at all and can face structural failure at any time."
News18
3 days ago
- General
- News18
School run from centuries old Nanta Mahal in Kota crying for urgent repair work
Kota (Rajasthan) Jul 26 (PTI) Class-11 student Alfi couldn't stop sobbing as she narrated the hazardous conditions of her school being run by the state government from the 18th century Nanta Mahal in Rajasthan's Kota. Alfi's tears reflected the fear among thousands of students in this coaching hub who are forced to study under risky and hazardous conditions. As many 14 school buildings here need immediate repair work to avoid any untoward incident, while around 700 classrooms in at least 1,057 government schools in the district are in 'damaged or ruined" state, officials said. Moreover, only 26 out of 200 schools in Kota which demanded funds for maintenance have been allotted Rs 2 lakh each under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the officials said. The worrying facts came to the fore a day after a portion of the Piplodi Government School in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district collapsed, killing seven children and injuring 27 others. The Government Senior Secondary School accommodating primary and upper primary sections with around 600 students is being run for decades from the centuries old Nanta Mahal. Following the tragedy in Jhalawar, officials from the PWD, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SMSA) and the education department on Saturday reached the school and surveyed the building. 'We study here under constant fear as any portion of the school building may fall and cause injury anytime," Alfi said. The balconies and the stone slabs covering them are very old and can cause fatal injuries, she said, expressing fear that an incident like Jhalawar can occur anytime at her school. 'Who will be responsible then? The government," she asked. Narpat Singh Hada, assistant engineer, SMSA, who reached Nanta Mahal on Saturday, said, 'The school is not technically safe at all and can face structural failure anytime." Since Nanta Mahal is presently under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), repair and maintenance work cannot be carried out without its authorisation. However, the district education department has now directed to shift the school, the process for which is underway," Hada said. Mohammed Sharif, principal of the school, also admitted that the structure is more than 300 years old and is ruined from both outside and inside. Despite sending proposals for funds, maintenance and repair work cannot be carried out as the school management does not have any ownership paper for the structure which is under the ASI at present, Sharif said. Moreover, it is difficult to shift 600 students to another place immediately, he added. Lakhanlal Meena, executive engineer, PWD, said that in compliance with the collector's direction, a team on Saturday visited the school and will submit a report accordingly. The Government Senior Secondary School at Tirath in Bundi district is facing similar risks, posing serious threats to student safety. The school has around 460 students who study in classrooms where water leaks through the roof during the rainy season. A drain passes through the school ground, which has been covered with stone slabs having large gaps. School principal Mamta Bagdoliya said that water seeps through the walls every rainy season, but the funds sanctioned for repair work fail to meet the requirements. PTI COR ARI view comments First Published: July 26, 2025, 23:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
TimesLIVE
07-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Nedbank final tickets sold out, thousands to be refunded amid chaos: PSL
Tickets for Saturday's Soweto derby Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban have been sold out, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) announced in a press conference in Durban on Wednesday. The PSL addressed the chaos surrounding ticket sales since they went up for purchase at 10am on Monday. Scores of supporters have complained they have purchased tickets online with providers Open Tickets and Computicket, but then did not receive them or proof they will. Others were turned away from retailers and told to buy on the internet, but Open Tickets' online system was reportedly overwhelmed and many were unsuccessful. Some supporters who thought they had their purchase confirmed received messages via email or WhatsApp that there had been over-selling and they were in fact not successful. PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala, speaking at a press conference with Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA) CEO Bertie Grobbelaar, said tickets have been sold out for the final. Those who paid online but did not receive their tickets will be refunded. Moses Mabhida Stadium is not overseen by SMSA, but Madlala explained Grobbelaar was roped in to assist resolving the Nedbank final ticket chaos. 'The demand of a Soweto derby is always more than what we can supply,' Madlala said. 'What we did after the ticket sales and problems we experienced because of volumes was we roped in Bertie. He has hosted matches at FNB Stadium using the same companies [Open Tickets and Computicket]. 'We said to him, 'Come as an independent auditor to advise us in terms of what happened because we want the truth'. I don't want to listen to a service provider telling me what they think they should be telling me or telling me things that will please me — I want the raw truth as it is. 'Bertie is not representing SMSA but he's representing me. I said he must analyse this report [on ticket sales] and tell me what is wrong or right and what we can fix.' Grobbelaar confirmed he was not representing SMSA or the companies responsible for selling tickets, but was asked by the PSL to analyse the numbers. 'The major concern was the over-issuing of tickets — that was the main concern of the CEO, PSL and the [league] chair [Irvin Khoza],' he said. 'From the data I have obtained the approved capacity of the stadium is 49,307 seats. It's a reduced capacity by the stadium's management and that is the number of tickets that were issued. 'Hospitality are 5,307, complimentary tickets 3,000, which leaves 41,000 that went on sale. According to the preliminary report provided to the PSL, tickets were sole out within 90 minutes [of going on sale]. 'That caused a delay, a glitch or call it whatever you want, but the fact is the tickets went on sale and the system allowed more people to make payments than there is capacity for. 'Computicket stopped the platform from issuing physical tickets but the transactions still went through. At the retail outlets 4,966 tickets were sold and issued across the country. 'Digital tickets on the Open Tickets website, 2,435 [were sold]; and the Computicket website, 44,121 tickets were sold. That immediately tells you there's an issue of over-issuing of tickets. 'Of the outlet sales, 33% went to KwaZulu-Natal, 35% went to Gauteng and 8% Mpumalanga. The Open Ticket and Computicket online sales combined in KZN were 39%, Gauteng 32% and Mpumalanga 12%.' Grobbelaar said more than 10,000 tickets were over-issued, and those purchasers will be refunded. 'All people who paid for the tickets to the capacity of the stadium have received their tickets — hard copy or digital — via different platforms. ' Of the people who paid but cannot be allocated tickets, 80%, as we speak here of those bought online, we have refunded. 'The other 20% is people who paid via EFT or other forms of payment platform. They all received messages that upon receipt of their banking details they will be refunded.' Deputy provincial commissioner responsible for visible policing in KwaZulu-Natal Major Gen Phumelele Makoba said people who do not have tickets must not go to Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday. Moses Mabhida Stadium manager Vusi Mazibuko said there will public viewing areas (PVAs) for those who could not get the tickets. 'The city will provide two PVAs. One is at the beachfront and the other is at Albert Park.'
