A government high school in Kharahal Valley, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, has been left without a functional building seven years after construction began in 2019, forcing more than 100 students to share cramped, makeshift spaces and raising serious questions about the state's commitment to rural education infrastructure.

Seven Years, Still Unfinished

The Chansari school building in Kullu was awarded a construction tender worth approximately ₹1.18 crore, according to School Management Committee (SMC) President Devendra Sharma. Despite that outlay, the structure remains incomplete to date. The prolonged delay has also triggered a cost overrun, as construction expenses have risen well above original estimates since the project was first conceived.

The building suffered additional damage during heavy rains and a subsequent natural disaster, compounding the already stalled progress and leaving the structure unfit for use.

Students Crammed Into a Single Room

With the original building damaged and the new one unfinished, the SMC arranged for classes to be held in a private building — but that rental agreement has now expired. Currently, two or three classes are being conducted simultaneously in a single room, a situation that teachers and parents say is severely affecting the quality of education.

The school serves children from three panchayats: Bandal Panchayat, Seugi Panchayat, and three villages of Chansari Panchayat. School teacher Bhal Chand Shastri confirmed that the old building has been in a damaged state for several years and that construction of the new building had remained stalled for a long time. He expressed hope that the government would act swiftly to restore basic infrastructure for students.

Community Appeals Go Unanswered

SMC President Devendra Sharma warned that if the Education Department does not take prompt action, conducting classes in the near future will become difficult. A delegation of SMC members and villagers recently met the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kullu to press for immediate intervention.

Parents and residents said repeated requests to the administration have gone unheeded. 'If the Education Department does not take prompt action, conducting classes in the near future will become difficult,' Sharma said, urging authorities to expedite completion of the new building.

What This Reflects About Rural Education Infrastructure

This is not an isolated case in Himachal Pradesh's hill districts, where remote geography and monsoon damage routinely stall government construction projects. The Chansari school situation is emblematic of a wider pattern: tenders awarded, funds released, and timelines missed — with children bearing the cost. The budget overrun risk grows with every passing season, and without a fixed completion deadline, the project risks further slippage.

With the private premises agreement expired and no alternative arrangement confirmed, the coming academic weeks will be critical for the school's more than 100 students.