Vijay govt to label Tamil Nadu schools red, yellow, green in safety drive

The Joseph Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government is set to introduce a three-tier colour-coded safety system for school buildings to ensure the safety of students, particularly ahead of the monsoon season. Buildings will be classified as Red, Yellow or Green based on their structural stability, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Aadhav Arjuna said in the Assembly on Monday.The move comes amid concerns over the condition of school buildings and the need for closer coordination between the PWD and the School Education Department. The government plans to conduct safety inspections of school buildings across the state and issue stability certificates based on the assessment."There is a big issue in the School Education Department. We were having a detailed conversation about the PWD and School Education Department uniting," Arjuna said.Under the proposed system, buildings found to be unsafe will be placed in the Red category. Such buildings will not be allowed to be used for academic purposes. "We are dividing the building into three categories. First is the Red category, which means the building should not be used," the minister said.The PWD has directed its engineers to inspect school buildings and assess their structural stability, particularly with the rainy season approaching. If a building is found to be unsafe, authorities will immediately mark it with a red sticker and seal the premises. "If a building is not stable, immediately we will paste a red sticker and seal it. We will also inform the School Education Department that no student should be made to sit there," he added.According to the minister, the system is intended to prevent students from occupying buildings that have been assessed as structurally unsafe and to ensure that the School Education Department is formally informed about buildings that cannot be used.The Yellow category will cover school buildings that require repair or other structural work to ensure their stability. Such buildings will be identified for remedial work before they can be considered safe for continued use.The classification is expected to help authorities identify buildings requiring immediate intervention and track the progress of repair and strengthening works.Buildings that are assessed to be structurally sound and are expected to remain safe for the next five years will be given a Green sticker."Then Green sticker, which means the building will not have any problems for the next five years," Arjuna further explained. .The colour-coded system will therefore provide a quick visual indication of the safety status of school buildings, while the underlying stability certificates will provide the formal assessment.The PWD will compile the findings from the inspections and share the data with legislators and the School Education Department, the minister added.The initiative aims to improve coordination between the PWD and School Education Department, while helping authorities assess school buildings and prioritise repairs, particularly during the monsoon when heavy rain can worsen structural vulnerabilities and water seepage.- EndsPublished On: Aug 25, 2026 08:20 IST