With schools across the city set to reopen next week after the Puja vacation, several institutions are racing against time to restore campuses battered by the torrential rainfall on September 23.

From deep-cleaning classrooms and sanitising campuses to replacing damaged electrical equipment and replenishing book stocks, schools are taking urgent measures to ensure a safe and functional environment for returning students.

Many schools closed early for Puja following an appeal by chief minister Mamata
Banerjee amid forecasts of further inclement weather. Several campuses were inundated, leaving classrooms mucky and infrastructure damaged, making them unfit for use.

“We have to ensure that children come back to a safe, hygienic campus next week, and for that, we are working even through the weekend,” said Jaidev Ghosh, principal of South Point High School, Ballygunge Place. The area was one of the worst-affected. The school is undergoing a three-day deep-cleaning and sanitisation drive.

Ballygunge Place was submerged under neck-deep water on some stretches, forcing residents to temporarily relocate to hotels or friends’ homes. At South Point, floodwaters rose to about 2.5 feet. “The water damaged the wooden office furniture, soiled important documents, and the Central Processing Unit that monitors the school’s CCTV system,” said Ghosh.

The submerged nursery office room of Julien Day School on Elgin Road on September 24

The school server remains down, and a lingering stench pervades parts of the campus, an official said.

“We can’t replace all the furniture immediately, so staff have been asked to manage with makeshift arrangements for a few days,” Ghosh added.

Other parts of the city were hit as well. Schools on Elgin Road, AJC Bose Road, Moira Street, and in Behala also reported damage.

Julien Day School, located off Elgin Road, is cleaning its underground water reservoir after fears of contamination. “Our primary concern is hygiene. The water tank supplies water to the school, and its cleaning and treatment were our first priorities,” said Terence John, director of education and development of the Julien Day schools.

The school also lost around 15 sets of textbooks kept in reserve for transfer candidates, after water entered the storage room. “We have to replenish that stock of books,” John said. Elgin Road itself was heavily flooded, with even cars submerged.

St James’ School had to replace three electric pumps damaged by short circuits after water seeped into the coils. “Repairing them was more complex than replacing them. These pumps supply water from the reservoir to the entire school,” said principal Terence Ireland.

La Martiniere for Boys and Girls campuses have already been disinfected. At Birla High School, some UPS and CPU systems were damaged and are currently being replaced. The school is scheduled to reopen after the Diwali break.