Historic Government Kannada Boys' School Faces Demolition for Multiplex Parking Lot

Hubballi: The Government Kannada Boys' School with a rich legacy spanning 156 years and the distinction of being the second school in the state with the highest number of students, is now on the brink of extinction. The decision by officials and elected representatives to demolish the school and make way for a multiplex parking lot has sparked outrage among thousands of former students and teachers who hold sentimental ties to the institution.

The Hubballi Dharwad Mahanagara Corporation, in a controversial move, has evacuated the school premises to make room for a multiplex parking facility costing 18 crores. As part of the plan, Broadway Government Primary School has been relocated to another site, and the original school building would be razed to make space for the construction of a multi-storey car parking building. The decision was reportedly discussed in a recent meeting.

The allocated space will be utilized to provide parking facilities for customers visiting the Durgadabyla area. The estimated cost for the multilevel parking building is 18 crores, and it follows the deterioration of the Fazal parking system, previously constructed at a cost of 4.30 crores in the city's glasshouse.

In contrast, a privately funded multi-level car parking building, costing around Rs 40 crores, has been under construction for four years opposite Sai Mandir. However, the decision to demolish a school that has played a crucial role in educating generations has prompted former students to launch a campaign to save the institution.

Expressing their concern and disappointment, old students have initiated a signature collection campaign to appeal against the decision. The resolution discussed in the corporation and legislators' meeting has raised awareness, prompting the former students to call for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's intervention to preserve the historic Government Kannada Boys' School. The plea is for the Chief Minister to provide appropriate direction for the survival of government Kannada schools and to reconsider the decision to demolish this significant educational institution.