131 of 276 unsafe government school buildings in Pratapgarh to be demolished before new academic session begins amid monsoon safety fears.
Pratapgarh: With the new academic session barely a fortnight away, serious concerns have been raised over the state of government school infrastructure in Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan, where 276 out of 1,345 government school buildings — roughly one in five — have been identified as dangerously dilapidated.
Of these, demolition orders have been issued for 131 structures, with block-level education officers directed to carry out the work swiftly through School Management Committees (SMC and SDMC). The remaining 145 buildings, though identified as unsafe, are still awaiting further action — meaning more than half of the at-risk structures have yet to be dealt with.
The situation is particularly acute in the Suahagpura block, which accounts for 52 deteriorating buildings, the highest in the district. Dalot block has seen the most demolition orders issued, with 24 structures cleared for pulling down.
Officials have also directed that children be seated in safe locations away from crumbling structures, with the stated aim of preventing any accident or casualty. In several instances, old buildings have remained unused for years while students continue to move about in their vicinity.
Vikas Bhalothia, Additional District Project Coordinator, Samagra Shiksha Pratapgarh, confirmed that demolition orders had been issued for all buildings whose proposals had been received at the district office, and that concerned officers had been instructed to ensure prompt action.
Block-wise breakdown of dilapidated school buildings:
| Block | Total Schools | Dilapidated Buildings | Demolition Orders Issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnod | 101 | 23 | 21 |
| Pratapgarh | 169 | 23 | 13 |
| Peepalkhoont | 175 | 53 | 11 |
| Suahagpura | 149 | 52 | 23 |
| Dalot | 132 | 41 | 24 |
| Dhamautar | 144 | 29 | 10 |
| Chhoti Sadri | 185 | 26 | 22 |
| Dhariyavad | 290 | 29 | 7 |
| Total | 1,345 | 276 | 131 |
Education department officials say regular monitoring of the remaining unsafe buildings is essential, particularly with the monsoon season approaching — a period when structurally weak constructions pose the greatest risk to pupils and staff alike.