Delhi CMArvind Kejriwal. (PTI)

Aam Aadmi Party’s move to turn 54 Delhi-based government schools into model schools appears to have gone down the drain as infrastructural problems surface. It was back in 2015 when the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had handed over a project to the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) for the renovation and beautification of these schools.

According to an Indian Express report, not less than 3 years later, the walls of recently completed schools now display cracks. The problem was highlighted on August 16 during a co-ordination committee meeting that was chaired by the director of Directorate of Education (DoE). It was then that the heads of the 54 schools were asked to submit details of the ‘deficiency work’ by the DoE.

The meeting was attended by the officers of the Education department along with PWD and DTTDC officers. According to the minutes of the meeting, as stated in the report, “The 13 District Deputy Director Education (DDEs) has informed that there are numerous deficiencies in civil/electrical/plumbing/renovation work done by DTTDC in 54 pilot schools. In fact, big cracks have started appearing in some recently completed schools.”

“They took such a long time to build the schools… after they handed over the building to us, water started seeping in and cracks developed within months. The matter should be inquired by the government,” a school principal said discussing the issue.

Speaking about the future plan of action, a DoE official said, “Once the schools submit the details, the matter will be taken up with the DTTDC so that the deficiencies can be corrected.”

In 2015, on the basis of the proposals submitted by several Delhi based government schools, 54 schools were selected to be developed into model schools. A total of 250 crores was allocated by the government for the same. While the PWD was given work to modify the school infrastructure, the DTTDC was the in-charge of the renovation of the schools.