BMC orders monsoon safety audit in Mumbai civic schools after Chembur school bus tree tragedy

A car parked outside Shivaji Park Gymkhana in Dadar West lies crushed beneath a tree uprooted by heavy rain and strong winds. Pic/Shadab Khan

Days after an 11-year-old student was killed when a tree fell on a school bus in Chembur, the BMC's Education Department has directed all municipal schools to carry out immediate monsoon safety checks. School heads have been asked to inspect buildings, classrooms, trees, electrical installations and other vulnerable areas to prevent rain-related accidents.

A tree uprooted during heavy rain falls onto a building and blocks a footpath in Matunga on Sunday. Pic/PTI

Why the advisory?

The circular comes after the Chembur tragedy and amid heavy rain across Mumbai, with civic authorities asking schools to identify and report structural or electrical hazards before they pose a risk to students.

Schools have been asked to check...

>> Buildings
>> Roofs and terraces
>> Walls and classrooms
>> Plaster firmness
>> Ceiling damage
>> Water seepage
Unsafe areas must be reported immediately

Vehicles lie damaged after a heavy tree was uprooted during heavy rainfall in Matunga on Sunday. Pic/PTI

Schools have been asked to ensure...

First-aid kits are stocked.
Emergency contact numbers are available.
Drains and gutters are cleaned regularly.
School premises are fumigated.
Entrances, staircases, corridors and toilets remain safe during heavy rain.
Alternative classrooms are put to use whenever seepage or electrical hazards are detected.

Schools also told to...

Coordinate with parents.
Stay in touch with transport operators.
Ensure students have a safe commute during the monsoon.

Outside the school

Schools have also been directed to inspect:
>> Trees
>> Hanging branches
>> Electric poles
>> Overhead wires
>> Wherever they pose a threat to students

Official speak

Sujata Khare Education Officer, BMC
‘While these guidelines are issued every year, this year we have also circulated a detailed advisory. Over the past two days, we have already received reports of peeling plaster, electrical boards prone to damage and schools requiring tree branch trimming in areas such as Navapada and Ganeshbaug'