Better late than never: Damaged school building reconstructed after 17 years in Uri

Baramulla, Nov 30: A new school building that is being constructed by the district administration close to ‘Zero line’ offers a ray of hope for a better future for the students in Chautali village of Uri, the border subdivision of Baramulla district.
According to officials in the education department, the school building that was severely damaged by the major earthquake in 2005, is being rebuilt as part of the Border Area Development Plan (BADP) Seema Samridi Yojana, after a time span of 17 years.
Talking to Rising Kashmir Zonal Education Officer Boniyar Uri, Mohammad Hussain Lone said that the school was operating in an unsafe building for the past 17 years.
“The school is being rebuilt under the Seema Samridhi Yojana, a welfare programme for those who live near the Line of Control. It will prove beneficial for the students living close to the zero line in Uri,” Hussain added.
He said that more than seventy students are enrolled in this school and have been waiting for a building for the past 17 years.
“The under construction middle school building will be double storey with four classes and each classroom 12×18 size. It will be a game changer for the student community in the area,” ZEO Boniyar added.
Earlier Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar in a tweet said, “Chautali School on LOC being constructed under Seema Samridhi Yojana in Uri.
Situated at zero line across the fence. School was badly damaged in 2005 in an earthquake. Land was also not available. We demolished the old school to make way for construction.”
An official from the education department said that under the Smridhi Seema Yojana, the building is being constructed at a cost of Rs 50 lakhs and on modern lines for the students of the area.
“The unsafe building was demolished and a new structure is being constructed on a modern pattern. It wasn’t an easy task and required a lot of labour because moving construction supplies across the other side of the fence requires hard work,” he added.
The official said that the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr. Sehrish Asgar and former SDM Uri Harvinder Singh played a pivotal role in the construction of the middle school Chautali.
“From next session, we will push for admissions on a large scale. The school building and other services from the government like mid-day meals, free education and scholarships will be a great motivation for the students of this area,” he added.