Budgam, Sep 19: A two-storey government school building in Galwanpora Subdan village of central Kashmir’s Budgam district remains incomplete years after it was sanctioned under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), leaving students and residents deprived of the facilities intended for them.
According to local residents, the school building was sanctioned during 2014-15, following which the funds were transferred to the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Division, Budgam, for execution of the project.
However, despite the passage of several years, the building is yet to be completed and formally handed over to the Education Department.
Sonaullah Wani, a local resident, said construction of the building began nearly a decade ago but remains incomplete.
“The major portion of the school building has already been completed. Only some pending works, including installation of doors and windows and fencing around the premises, need to be completed. The authorities should finish these works on an immediate basis,” Wani said.
He said the incomplete and unsecured building has become vulnerable to misuse, with people entering the premises freely.
“The place has turned into a spot for drug-related activities, as people enter the building at their own will. Stray dogs have also been living inside the premises. Since there are no doors or windows, the building remains open and accessible,” he said.
Wani said the remaining work could be completed with a relatively small allocation.
“If the Government provides around Rs 6 lakh for installing doors and windows and completing the remaining works, the school building can become functional and students can attend classes there. The necessary facilities would then be available to them,” he said.
Another resident, Farooq Ahmad Bhat, questioned the delay despite the expenditure already incurred on the project.
“If the Government has spent a huge amount of money on the construction of this school building, why has the work not been completed yet?” Bhat asked.
He urged the authorities to complete the pending work so that the school could be made functional and students could benefit from the new infrastructure.
Bhat also questioned the delay on the part of the R&B Division despite the release of funds for the project.
Residents have urged the School Education Department and Deputy Commissioner Budgam to intervene and ensure that the remaining work is completed at the earliest, allowing the building to be put to use.
An official from the Education Department said that the construction work of the school building has not fully completed yet. This school building has not been handover to the school education department.
