Playing hopscotch may be a common game for children, but at St Gregorios School, Chembur, students and their parents have been forced to take it too far.

Ever since the new building school opened a month ago, parents who drop and pick up their children have to make their way around open storm water drains on the way to the school gate. The drains, situated at regular intervals on both sides of the pavement, are almost 12 inches wide, and lead to gutters on each side of the narrow lane leading up to the school. The sole lane, which leads to the main gate, is occupied by school buses around 9.30 am and 12.30 pm, when the school hours begin and end respectively.