Mumbai: The Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) has urged to the BMC administration to provide bus services for the tribal students studying in a BMC-run school in Tansa Dam premises.

The BMC-own reservoir which supplies drinking water to Mumbai is located in Shahapur, 2.5 hours away from the city. However, the tribals are project-affected families who had given their lands to the BMC for the construction of the reservoir.

“Although the school was built for children of BMC staff who managed the Tansa reservoir, the BMC had made efforts and extended admission to the children of project-affected families. 200 tribal students attend the BMC-run school at Tansa Dam, running the school successfully at full capacity. However, the area has only one State Transport bus in the morning, leaving the school students no other transportation option,” Ramesh Deshmukh, Executive Chairman of MEA said.

“We do not want to tribal students suffer due to lack of transportation facilities. BMC should extend its bus service for the students. We will meet BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani this week following up on our demand,” Deshmukh added.

Meanwhile, the MEA has planned to start a boat facility exclusively for the tribal students attending the BMC school at Tansa Dam. “The work of starting the boat services is underway. It will be free of cost for the tribal students to reach the school on time hassle tree. We do not want the students’ education affected due to a lack of basic facilities. Their families have given their land to the BMC. It is BMC’s responsibility to ensure the student’s education is not affected.” Deshmukh said.