The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) on Friday issued a notice to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation over the demolition of two primary schools in Karol Bagh to construct a multi-level parking lot.
The notice, which was issued to the civic body’s Director of Education and Deputy Commissioner, Karol Bagh Zone, was based on a complaint from Karol Bagh MLA Vishesh Ravi of AAP. The complaint said that the parking in Bhagwati Market, Karol Bagh was being constructed illegally and the demolition of the two schools was against the norms of the Right to Education Act that states children should have access to primary schools within one km radius.
The DCPCR said that records pertaining to the matter must be submitted by the civic body officials within seven days.
Speaking to The Hindu , a senior North MCD official said that the schools were shut in 2017 due to poor attendance and the students were shifted to other schools. He added that a surface-parking has been operational at the premises for the last two years and that the construction of a multi-level car parking for 500 cars is to commence.
“The school had only 50 students and only 25 students were attending classes. After the students were shifted, there was a municipal magistrate office on the premises, which was also later shifted to Naraina. It is a well-known fact that there is a requirement for car parking in Karol Bagh, and this project was aimed at solving the problem. The project is based on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model and the DCPCR’s notice is clearly politically motivated,” the senior official said.
