IMD’s Orange alert forces Bengaluru administration to shut schools tomorrow

With government schools closed for Dussehra till October 21, the holiday applies to only private and aided schools. Some private schools reopened on Monday after Dussehra holidays. Meanwhile, schools have a common holiday on October 17 on account of Valmiki Jayanti.

However, there has been no blanket leave announced for higher education institutions such as PU colleges, degree colleges, post-graduation programs, engineering colleges, diploma institutes, and ITIs. Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Jagadeesha G has issued a set of general instructions to college heads to ensure the safety of students attending classes amidst the weather warning.

The guidelines include ensuring students can safely commute to and from college without facing any danger and advising that lectures should not be conducted in weak or dilapidated buildings.

College heads have been asked to assess the condition of their facilities and take necessary precautions to avoid accidents. To mitigate any academic loss, heads of colleges have been instructed to organise extra classes on Saturdays or Sundays if needed.

Additionally, students and parents were urged to avoid low-lying areas prone to waterlogging, and to ensure the safety of vehicles used by students for commuting. In an effort to promote awareness, colleges were encouraged to provide information to students about disaster management in the event of natural calamities.

Incessant rainfall in Bengaluru has caused waterlogging across the city leading to major traffic congestion. Slow traffic movement was reported on Bellary Road towards the airport, Outer Ring Road, Balagere Main Road, and the Nagawara flyover near Manyata Tech Park, due to heavy water logging.