Jaipur School Building Demolished After Campaign Spotlight, Reconstruction Begins

Authorities in Jaipur have begun demolishing a dilapidated government primary school in Rampura Kanwarpura village, located in the Bagru assembly constituency. The move comes weeks after the building's poor state was highlighted by members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) during their 'School Thik Karo' campaign, which aims to draw attention to the condition of government schools across the state.

The campaign visit last month led to a confrontation between CJP members and local villagers, resulting in police complaints being filed from both sides. Reports from the time described a grim scene at the school, with children studying under a tree near a cowshed, while no teacher was present on the premises.

Following the incident, local MLA Kailash Verma stated that funds had already been sanctioned for the school's improvement. An amount of Rs 12 lakh was approved from the District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT), alongside Rs 6 lakh from the MLA's local development fund, on August 13.

After the clash drew wider attention, the Chief Minister announced that construction would commence on September 1. In line with this plan, cleaning operations began at the site on Tuesday, with the demolition of the old, unsafe structure taking place on Wednesday to clear the ground for new construction.

This development comes against the backdrop of a broader state-wide concern regarding school infrastructure. Last year, the Rajasthan High Court took suo motu cognisance of the issue following an accident at a school in Jhalawar's Peepalodi area. In response, the government had submitted a five-year action plan costing Rs 12,500 crore. In light of recent events, the administration has now decided to accelerate this plan, aiming to complete it within three years.

Following the demolition announcement, CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka expressed gratitude, stating that the party's primary objective was to ensure the construction of a safe school building. The BJP MLA also reiterated that the government remains sensitive to issues concerning educational institutions.

While political factions trade accusations and claim credit, the tangible progress is the commencement of the new building. The approved funds will facilitate the construction of two new classrooms, with the additional Rs 6 lakh earmarked for other necessary works.

Villagers have begun actively participating in the effort, clearing the site and assisting with the work, while stating their intention to supervise the construction process. School teacher Asha welcomed the development, noting that with everyone's cooperation, the long-pending work has finally begun. She added that while two classrooms are planned, the school also requires toilets and an office, which she hopes will be addressed.