Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday, 25 June announced that the government has sanctioned a ₹264 crore proposal to overhaul 75 CM SHRI Schools across the capital, covering modern infrastructure upgrades, enhanced safety systems, and improved student facilities. The approval was granted at a recent Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) meeting chaired by the Chief Minister herself.

Scope of the Revamp

The comprehensive upgrade will touch nearly every aspect of school infrastructure. Works include waterproofing to address seepage and dampness, interior and exterior painting, plaster repairs, and construction or repair of boundary walls and fencing. Toilets and drinking water facilities will be upgraded, and sewerage and drainage systems will be improved. Sports facilities, rainwater harvesting systems, and multipurpose halls will also be renovated wherever required.

School entrance gates will be redesigned in a modern style and will display the new CM SHRI logo alongside each school's name, giving the campuses a unified identity.

Safety and Technology Upgrades

Electrical works will incorporate fire safety measures as a priority. Defective LED lights, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, and PA (Public Address) systems will be replaced to ensure effective communication during emergencies. High-mast lighting will be installed across school premises, while multipurpose halls and computer laboratories will receive air conditioning and stage lighting.

LED signage and LED boards bearing the CM SHRI logo, in-built RO water coolers, upgraded main electrical panels, new wiring, power points, and LAN points will also be provided. CCTV systems and compound lighting will be upgraded as priority works.

Inclusive Infrastructure for Children with Special Needs

Among the priority works, the project will develop child-friendly accessibility features for students with special needs, including ramps, tactile paths, and handrails. This signals an intent to make the upgraded campuses genuinely inclusive, not merely cosmetically improved.

What the Government Said

Chief Minister Gupta said the government's objective goes beyond structural repairs. 'The aim is to create a learning environment where students have access to safe, clean, modern and inspiring campuses,' she stated. The EFC meeting was attended by PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh, Education Minister Ashish Sood, and senior government officials.

Context and What Comes Next

The CM SHRI (Chief Minister's School of Holistic, Rising India) Schools initiative is Delhi's flagship school-improvement programme under the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government. This ₹264 crore outlay represents a significant capital commitment to public school infrastructure at a time when the city's education system has been a focal point of political competition. Implementation timelines and contractor selection processes are yet to be made public, and execution pace will be closely watched given the scale of works involved across 75 schools simultaneously.