Teachers say nearly all classrooms near the Metro site have been affected. Pics/Suresh Karkera

Cracked and damaged
The matter came to light after a few teachers complained to the AO (administration officer) that the school building felt the vibrations when drilling or digging work was done at the site.

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.86%

AAP 41.43%

INC 25.71%

Submit

View All In Poll

When mid-day visited the school, we spotted cracks in the beams and windowpanes, and chunks of plaster that had fallen from a staircase at the back, which is now barred for students, to avoid any untoward incident. A teacher said, "Since Metro authorities have started digging in our backyard, windowpanes of classrooms have developed cracks and plaster of ceilings has loosened. This problem can be seen in most classrooms close to the Metro site. We are scared for our students; anything can fall on them.

"After we complained, Metro authorities visited the school and asked us to shift the affected classrooms. But where is the space for that?" Local Yuva Sena leader Abhijit Patil, who has raised this issue with the authorities, said, "The beams on the ground floor and second floor are showing cracks. Not only is the use of heavy machinery for digging for piling work affecting the structure, but it's also difficult to hold classes amid all the noise. Metro authorities should immediately carry out a structural audit of the school building to avoid any mishap."

"Like the school, the Metro work has also damaged a cement concrete road near Sasmira College in Worli. Huge cracks can be seen on the road, which would otherwise have stayed good for at least 10 years. This has also made the stretch accident-prone. Civic officials have asked MMRC to take precautionary steps," added Patil.

Civicspeak
A senior civic official from G-south ward office said, "Last month, the school AO told us about the building feeling the vibrations and about the cracks in the beams. We visited the school and called a structural engineer, and later, sent a letter to MMRC. It, however, replied that the construction activity hasn't affected the school."

"We have sent a letter to MMRC and asked officials to take corrective measures against the damage to avoid any untoward incident," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner of G-South ward (Worli, Prabhadevi) Devendra Jain.

The other side
A spokesperson for the MMRC, however, said, "Construction activities of Mumbai Metro III follow stringent safety protocol. We only have the station's entry-exit point near the school, and construction work hasn't even started at that location. A Building Condition Survey has been done, and the cracks in the structure have been there since long, which we have communicated to the MCGM. Some cracks were observed on a road near Sasmira due to movement of machinery, but those were repaired and the road restored immediately."

Also Read: Metro 3 realignment: Parsi community members meet MMRCL officials

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates