Schools and colleges in Panvel, Thane, Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai to remain closed on August 20 due to heavy rains

Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra have been witnessing heavy rains. File Pic/Shadab Khan

The Panvel, Thane, Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai civic authorities on Tuesday announced a holiday for all schools, colleges, and training centres in their jurisdiction on Wednesday, August 20, due to a warning for heavy rainfall.

An official notification issued by the Panvel Municipal Corporation said that the it applies to all government and private primary and secondary schools, aided and unaided institutions, ashram schools, junior colleges, and vocational and training institutes.

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It said that the decision was made under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a forecast for "heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places" in Raigad district.

According to officials, the holiday has been declared to ensure the safety of students and staff amid the ongoing adverse weather conditions in the region.

All relevant institutions are instructed to follow the order, the officials said.

Similar notifications were also issued by the Thane, Bhiwandi and Navi Mumbai civic bodies.

Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday denied about a holiday being declared for schools and clarified that a message circulating on social media was fake.

In a post on X, the BMC wrote, "The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has not issued any such information."

Parts of Maharashtra including Mumbai on Tuesday continued to witness heavy rains.

The educational institutes in Mumbai, Thane, Bhiwandi and other parts of Maharashtra remained closed on Tuesday in view of a red alert issued by the weather department.

"Considering the safety of school students due to the heavy rainfall in the city of Brihanmumbai, a holiday is being given to the students of all managements and all mediums of primary/secondary/private aided/unaided schools as well as teachers and non-teaching staff in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area on Tuesday,' a notification, issued on Monday said.

As per the notice, any trainings and exams scheduled for Tuesday are to be rescheduled for later at the school level. It came after the heavy rains on Monday, which called for early school closures in and around the city. Schools situated in Dadar, Sion, Mahim, and Matunga were seen sending the secondary school students home early after flooding reports.

An official notification by the Thane Municipal Corporation on Monday said that the decision applies to all types of schools under every management and medium -- including pre-primary, primary, secondary, and higher secondary -- whether they are government-aided or unaided, and private institutions.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra's Std XI admission process under the ‘Special Round' has now been extended until Friday August 22, owing to heavy rains. Some degree colleges in Mumbai are also considering online classes amid heavy rains.