18 days later, Cidco still examining ways to provide playground

NAVI MUMBAI: The City Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (Cidco) is still examining ways to provide a playground to the students of Kalamboli-based New Mumbai English School, even 18 days after receiving a letter from the Prime Minister Office.
A student of the school Sakshi Tiwari (14), studying in class IX, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing his attention for lack of playground in her school campus, which deprived students from participating in even inter-school competitions for years.Sakshi and her school mates are no longer elated and upset over the delay in ground action since Cidco has been examining the veracity of the school’s existence which is located on a plot not reserved for an educational institution at first place. However, Sakshi is waiting to get positive response from the city planner whose officials paid a visit to the school on August 16 soon after receiving her letter forwarded from PMO’s office.
“It’s been 18 days since Cidco officials made a visit to our school and met me assuring of doing the needful in providing playground nearby. But no further communication has been received yet. I am hopeful that Cidco will respect PM’s intervention in this matter and offer us a playground which we are lacking the ones,” said Sakshi, a class IX student.
Cidco sources said the school was built on a commercial plot which had no provision for a playground unlike other schools in the node. When asked, KK Warkhedkar, Chief Engineer of Cidco told TOI, “Local officials conducted a survey of the area where the school is situated. The case has been referred to our concerned officers in the social service department and it’s being examined thoroughly.”
According to TC Parab, Chief Social Service officer, Cidco, “A detailed survey was done. We found that the school plot was not for school purpose. However, the school came up without a playground. We are astonished that how the education department has given its nod to operate the school at such a small plot. We have as many as 8 schools in Kalamboli node which have sprawling playground, at least 50% of the total area of each school. We will tell the estate department to take a call.”