Balasore, May 22: The long cherished demand for a second Kendriya Vidyalaya in Balasore is likely to be fulfilled soon. Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, the apex body of the institution, plans to start their second school here from this academic session.

There are a number of central government and public sector undertaking organisations in this town.

The employees of these organisations face great problems while sending their wards to the schools of their choice. The news of the establishment of the second Kendriya Vidyalaya has, therefore, brought cheers to several parents and their children.

“We had been demanding a second Kendriya Vidyalaya here for a long time. This has come as a much-needed relief for all those parents who were otherwise deprived of the scope of admitting their wards to their preferred schools,” said V. Udaykumar, a member of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Alumni Association.

Out of the several locations shortlisted for the purpose, the Barabati Girls’ High School has been chosen as the location for starting this school. Along with her team, the assistant commissioner of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (Bhubaneswar region), R. Kalavathi, had made a visit to the school recently.

Kalavathi was accompanied by education officers M.V.R.K. Shastry and S.N. Srinivas, and principal of the existing Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pitambar Das. The visiting team later had vivid discussions with the district administration and circle inspector of education regarding establishment of the school.

“Because of its location and available infrastructure, the Barabati Girls’ High School has been finalised as the place for starting the second Kendriya Vidyalaya. This school has all the basic facilities to allow scope for a new school to operate,” Sribatsa Jena, the additional district magistrate, said.

Jena expected the school would begin from the current academic session as per the assurance of the visiting team. “The school has some spare rooms where classes for the new school will start. We would carry out necessary repair and renovation works. We would also look into other requirements of the new school,” he added.

After a temporary period, the school would function from Samalpur on the town’s outskirts where its own building would be constructed.

“We have earmarked around seven to eight acres of land in Samalpur area for the construction of the new Kendriya Vidyalaya.

“The school would have all facilities on its campus just like the existing Kendriya Vidyalaya here,” Jena said.The team had expressed satisfaction regarding the location and cooperation of the officials, said Pitambar Das, adding the school would run classes from I to V. “Each class will have only one section, and one more class would be added each year. The teachers from the existing Kendriya Vidyalaya would be deputed to take classes at the new school. A few teachers would also be engaged on contractual basis till regular teachers are posted,” he said.