Eight years on, Kumaranellur school building in Palakkad is still incomplete

Kumaranellur: It has been eight years since construction began on a new school building at Kumaranellur Government Higher Secondary School, yet the structure remains unfinished and unusable for students. Despite the work starting in 2017, key elements such as toilet construction, electrical fittings, furniture, bookshelves and painting are still pending. Water seepage from the upper floors to the staircase during rain and wind remains unresolved.

The project was initiated by the then MLA V T Balram in 2017, envisioning a modern school building for the high school section at a cost of Rs.1.79 crore. The construction was entrusted to Habitat. To avoid disruption to classes during construction, the multimedia room, storeroom and even the stage were temporarily converted into classrooms.

A series of setbacks, including the 2018 floods and the COVID-19 pandemic, slowed the progress of works progress significantly. Though the pace picked up briefly a couple of years ago following intervention by Minister M B Rajesh, work has once again come to a near standstill. Signs of neglect are visible as even the screws in the electrical distribution boxes installed on he building have rusted due to prolonged exposure.

The new building was planned as a two-storey structure with 10 classrooms and adequate toilet facilities. It replaced the older structure, which stood along the main road and was demolished to make way for the new facility. However, today the site resembles more of an abandoned shell than a functional educational space.

With over 1,400 students enrolled across the higher secondary, high school and upper primary sections, the need for better infrastructure is pressing. The PTA and local residents have renewed their demand for urgent completion of the building, pointing out that moving classes into the new facility would also allow long-overdue renovations of the existing classrooms.