Amid heavy rain, schools shut in Mumbai for the day, 2 days in Thane
While teachers and school administrations in Mumbai and Thane welcomed the decision to declare a holiday amid the heavy rain, many criticised the delayed response from authorities, which led to confusion.
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Weather experts said heavy rain is likely to continue unabated over the next few days. (File Photo)Amid continuous heavy rain across the city, several schools in Mumbai independently decided to either declare a holiday or release students after half a day Monday. Later in the day, the School Education Department officially announced a holiday for schools in Mumbai via a circular.
In the Thane division, schools were granted a two-day holiday — Monday and Tuesday — in light of the Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) extended heavy rainfall warning.
According to a notification issued by Rajesh Kankal, Deputy Director of Education (Mumbai), all schools in Mumbai were instructed to remain closed Monday due to the persistent rain affecting both the city and its suburbs. The notice also directed schools to reschedule any exams or special activities planned for the day.
Separately, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) issued a circular declaring a two-day holiday for all schools in the district.
TMC instructed schools to compensate for the lost teaching hours, and ensure that staff remained on campus until all students had safely returned home, especially those attending afternoon sessions, as the announcement came later in the day.
While teachers and school administrations welcomed the decision to declare a holiday, many criticised the delayed response from authorities, which led to confusion, earlier in the day.
“Timely declaration could have saved unnecessary travel hassles faced by many students and teachers who are now stuck either in schools or in transit to reach home, due to disrupted public transport. The circular came after many schools had already begun afternoon sessions, creating further chaos,” said a senior teacher from a Mumbai school.
A principal from a Thane school pointed out the disparity in decision-making. “Thane schools have clarity with a two-day holiday, but for Mumbai schools, there is no announcement for Tuesday despite the extended heavy rainfall warning. If the rain persists, we may face similar confusion again,” the principal said.
Meanwhile, Mumbai University confirmed that no holiday has been declared for its affiliated colleges or departments. All exams will continue as scheduled.
Weather experts said heavy rain is likely to continue unabated over the next few days. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) placed Mumbai and Thane districts under an orange alert until at least Tuesday.
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