Vagamon: With official permission to demolish a long-abandoned building still pending, the construction of a playground at the Government Higher Secondary School in Vagamon has hit a roadblock. The building, unused for the past ten years, continues to stand in the way despite repeated appeals from school authorities.

Students were moved out of the structure a decade ago due to safety concerns stemming from the building’s deterioration. Since then, the school authorities have repeatedly informed the Department of School Education, the district panchayat and the local gram panchayat about the risks posed by the unused block. However, only recently did an Assistant Engineer inspect the site and issue a report certifying the building as structurally unsafe.

But even after this official confirmation, the order to demolish the structure has not been issued. Meanwhile, the district panchayat had sanctioned ₹15 lakh for the construction of a new playground and completed the tender process, awarding the work contract. However, the presence of this old building stands in the way of creating the required space for the ground.

The contractors have already begun constructing a protective wall as part of the project. School authorities have now submitted a fresh letter to the district panchayat, urging that the old building be cleared without delay to ensure the timely completion of the playground.