RAWALPINDI, Nov 20: Concentration of several educational institutions in Lalkurti has become a nuisance for the people, residents of the area told Dawn.

The residents said that many private schools had been set up in the area without the approval of the cantonment board and education authorities. Only one school is more than enough for the population of the area, they added.

“But many people have opened private schools which have increased the load on infrastructure of the locality.”

Apart from the famous missionary institution, Convent School, and National University of Science and Technology, there are four other private schools established by the people at their residences.

These institutes are functioning without getting any formal approval from the cantonment board and education authorities, the residents said.

Not only this, these schools are functioning at residential buildings, which is another step in contravention of the cantonment rules and regulations, they added.

The residents said concentration of educational institutions in the confined area had been causing excessive traffic jams resulting in accidents.

The situation is also causing noise and dust pollution in the area which has a very bad effect on the people, they added.

“Patients visiting the army hospital also face problems due to traffic rush which goes out of control during the school opening and closing times,” the residents said.

When contacted, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board chief executive officer, Khawaja Iftikhar Mir, admitted that many people had set up educational institutions at their residences causing nuisance to residents of the surrounding areas.

“It is also in violation of cantonment building laws to use a residential buildings for commercial purposes,” he said.

He, however, failed to provide name of any person who might had been fined for such a violation or whose school was closed.

The chief executive officer said granting permission for setting up schools was the duty of the education department and the RCB had nothing to do with it.

“However, the civic body has a role to play if the schools are creating problems for the public or if they put extra load on the infrastructure of the area.”

The residents have demanded closure of unauthorised and unnecessary schools in the area.

Educational institutions should be established after proper planning and at open places, they added.