As railway projects push families out of Dharavi, schools along Sion tracks report missing students and feared dropouts; several schools in the area are witnessing a drop in attendance following the shifting of some Dharavi residents
Guru Nanak National High School in Sion, where students now face longer commutes following the relocation of families living along nearby railway tracks. Pic/By Special Arrangement
As Mumbai’s rapidly changing skyline becomes routine for residents, schools along the railway tracks in Sion are beginning to feel the unintended fallout of infrastructure-led relocations. Several schools in the area are witnessing a drop in attendance following the shifting of some Dharavi residents.
Jagdish Indalkar, principal of Lion MP Bhuta School in Sion’s Jain Colony, said the trend became noticeable a few months ago. “Since houses along the railway tracks adjoining Dharavi were vacated, we have seen a decline in student attendance, particularly in the Gujarati-medium section,” Indalkar told mid-day.
According to him, the numbers began to fall after Diwali. However, schools must wait several months before officially categorising students as dropouts. “We believe relocation has made daily commuting difficult for parents. In some cases, families may have anticipated redevelopment and moved back to their native villages in Gujarat. We have no way of tracking what has happened to these students,” he said.
The school has also been unable to reach many parents. For aided and government schools, declining enrolment has wider implications. As student numbers drop, teacher strength is also reduced, since staffing is allocated based on enrolment.
Mid-academic shift
Some families living on railway land have been relocated to a housing near Vidyavihar. Earlier, students from these areas would cross a foot overbridge near Sion to attend nearby schools, including Guru Nanak National High School, which is located close to the tracks. Now, the commute takes over 30 minutes.
“We have students travelling from Vidyavihar daily. Since the move happened mid-academic year, parents are ensuring their children attend classes. But next year, many may seek schools closer to home,” said principal Getziyal Johnson.
A former Dharavi resident who moved to Vidyavihar two months ago said his family continues to send their twin 12-year-old daughters to a school in Sion. “It takes us at least 30 minutes one way. Schools closer to Vidyavihar charge much higher fees. In Sion, we pay about Rs 10,000 a year. Nearby schools charge Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000,” he said.
He added that the lack of a direct bus route has made commuting harder. “Our daughters say they can travel alone, but as parents, we worry,” he said. Another relocated resident who drops her senior kindergarten daughter and Std VIII son to Sion-based schools said they were still undecided about changing schools. “The commute takes about 30 minutes. We are managing for now, but we do not want to exhaust the children,” she said.
Younger students at risk
While older students are adjusting to longer travel, parents of primary school children are more hesitant. Aparna Yadav, head of the primary section at DS School in Sion, said evening travel poses challenges. “Classes for Std I and II end at 5 pm. Taking young children back by train during peak hours is risky. Road travel going to Sion is also difficult for Vidyavihar or Kurla residents. Infrastructure changes have unintentionally left schools in a difficult position,” she said. The school has recorded one dropout so far this year, but the parents could not be contacted.
Beyond relocation
Some educationists believe the decline cannot be attributed solely to infrastructure changes. “Irregular attendance due to commuting issues is one factor, but not the only one. Many Dharavi residents are yet to accept relocation plans. Dropouts may also be driven by changing parental preferences and a shift towards English-medium schools,” said Baburao Mane, former MLA and associate of the Mahatma Phule Education Trust in Dharavi.
Demolition not DRP
Officials from Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited, the special purpose vehicle for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, said no demolition is currently underway in Dharavi. “No demolition has been carried out by us or our agencies. The only construction in progress is staff quarters for the Railways at Matunga. Notices to vacate have been issued only to a limited number of residents for infrastructure work, and around 250 families from Shatabdi Nagar have been provided transit accommodation in a nearby MHADA building,” a spokesperson said.
Officials from the Central Railway informed that the relocation is being done as part of the proposed 5th & 6th line project between CSMT-CLA under the MUTP II B project, on the west side of the track from Sion to Dadar, essential for increasing capacity between CSMT and Kurla. For this project, rehabilitation and resettlement is being done by MMRDA. 711 project-affected persons were identified, alternate tenements have been given to all, and they are being shifted to the identified locations in the HDIL project, Kohinoor, Kurla West.
Out of these 711 tenements, tenants of 489 tenements have already been relocated and tenements demolished. Work is in progress across locations. Further details are available with MMRDA as the work of relocation is being carried out by MMRDA. However, schools and colleges are available in the new locality, which is near the Vidyavihar station. Due to the model code of conduct, MMRDA did not respond to queries before publication.
What next for students
BMC education official said systems exist to accommodate displaced students. “If students from Std I to IV are relocated due to infrastructure projects, the education department ensures they are accommodated in nearby municipal or aided schools. For higher classes, education inspectors oversee the process. So far, no such proposal has been brought to us,” she said.
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