Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated India’s first 3D printed school in Itanagar, the state’s capital. This new school replaced the previous one, which was destroyed by fire in November 2023.
The Chief Minister announced this ground-breaking development on Tuesday, July 30 and shared that the construction was completed in only 2 months.
India’s First 3D Printed School
The Government Secondary School in Pachin, which was destroyed by fire, has been rebuilt using cutting-edge 3D printing technology. Remarkably, the school was rebuilt in just two months.
The Chief Minister announced the development on his X.com account, where the video was posted, and expressed his congratulations and best wishes. The foundation for the school was laid in March, and 3D printing began in May.
“Government Secondary School Pachin, Itanagar becomes India’s first 3D Printed School. Devoured by fire school was rebuilt in just two months.”
– Shri. Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh
Khandu praised the collaborative efforts that enabled this achievement. He described it as a “watershed moment” in efforts to provide a cost-effective, sustainable, and timely solution to educational needs. He emphasised that the integration of 3D printing technology not only demonstrates commitment to modernising educational infrastructure, but also improves accessibility in remote and underserved areas.
The innovative use of 3D printing in this project demonstrates its potential to address challenges encountered by traditional building methods. The speed and efficiency of 3D construction may set new standards for future school-building initiatives in India.
This advancement reflects the growing trend of incorporating technology in the construction industry. It seeks to improve the resilience and accessibility of educational facilities. Government Secondary School in Pachin serves as a model for future projects that make use of 3D printing. It has the potential to transform how schools are built in response to natural disasters and other challenges.
3D Construction Partner
The construction of the school was carried out by Chennai-based Merlin Automation Solutions. Merlin has been providing motion control technology to L&T for building the construction 3D printer.
Together, both these organisations built the Weaver 231710, a 3D concrete printer capable of printing 23+ meters in Y Axis, 17 Meters in X Axis & 10 meters in Z Axis. And according to Merlin, this printer is capable of printing G+2 structures, a feat no one has achieved in India.
The successful completion of the project represents a significant achievement for Arunachal Pradesh. It places India at the forefront of educational innovation. As the country continues to explore and adopt new technologies, the 3D printed school in Itanagar represents a progressive approach. This approach focusses on developing and maintaining educational infrastructure. This is especially important in challenging environments.
The actual partner in this 3D construction is not known yet and the government authorities too haven’t revealed it. But there are only a couple of partners in India that have the on-site 3D printer to pull off this project.
