Tamil Nadu Proposes Colour-Coded Safety Sticker System for Educational Buildings

CHENNAI — The Tamil Nadu government has proposed introducing a colour-coded structural safety status system for schools and college buildings. Announced by Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Monday, the initiative aims to facilitate prompt maintenance across government-run educational institutions.

Under the proposed system, red, yellow, and green stickers will be used to categorise the structural strength of buildings. A red sticker will indicate high-risk buildings that must be closed immediately for repairs. A yellow sticker will designate buildings requiring urgent repairs, while a green sticker will indicate structures deemed safe for the next five years.

Addressing the Assembly, Minister Arjuna stated that the survey data for each Assembly constituency will be shared with the respective MLAs. This measure is intended to ensure close monitoring and the prevention of maintenance lapses, following instructions from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The minister noted that the move is designed to ensure safe and quality infrastructure for students, bringing government facilities on par with private institutions. A specific budget has been earmarked to carry out the required maintenance work based on these safety categorisations.

"Implementing a transparent, colour-coded safety categorization system for educational infrastructure is a pragmatic step towards accountability and risk management. By decentralizing survey data down to the constituency level and involving local representatives, the government is creating a structured framework for maintenance. From a business and operational standpoint, establishing clear benchmarks for asset safety ensures that capital allocation for repairs is directed where it is needed most, protecting long-term public investments." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes