Kandivali private school meant to be playground?

Or so claims RTI applicant and demands school give back another piece of land to BMC. School rubbishes claim, insisting that it was authorised to use land

The Kandivali Education Society's (KES) Sardar Vallabhai Patel (SVP) school in Kandivali West is in the midst of a controversy. RTI activists Mehul Katariya claim that the school is an illegal construction on a BMC (plot no 105 B) reserved for a playground.


The Kandivali Education Society school allegedly constructed illegally
on a BMC plot. PIC/ANUJA GUPTA

Katariya supported his claim with a development plan and property card copy obtained under an RTI query. "If the BMC playground is given to an institution then the institution has to give back another piece of landu00a0 to the BMC to build a playground, but in this case they (school administration) have not provided any other alternate plot," Katariya said.

Interestingly, Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal was a chief guest at the school to attend the international conference of higher education organised by local MP Sanjay Nirupam on Saturday. However, the institution's authorities have rubbished the RTI activist's claims. Satish Dattani, President of KES, said, "We have replied to all the RTI applications and the plot was always reserved for institutions and that's how we got the plot to build our school. The rule about giving an alternate plot to BMC is wrong."

KES that has decided to construct a school building for State board students and will donate the old structure after making renovations to Cambridge International Junior College. SVP's primary and junior kindergarten section were run in Bhogilal Fadiya road and classes 5 to 10 at Shantilal Modi road. The controversial plot was given to KES four years ago for building a school according to school officials.

According to one school official, the building came up only for the aided Gujarati and English medium sections from junior kindergarten to class 10. No unaided section has been started in the building.

There will be 65-70 classrooms from Junior KG to class 10 where classes will be conducted in two shifts, with around 3,000 students per shift. Two floors have been converted for playgrounds. There are two halls, on the ground and first floors for school functions and other purposes.

Despite repeated attempts, Nirupam remained unavailable for comment.