MUMBAI: With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for Mumbai and forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated areas, over the coming days, concerns have grown among parents and students about whether educational institutions will remain open on Tuesday, July 21 or will a holiday be declared.
Speculation over possible school and college closures intensified after the weather department warned of worsening rain conditions and water logging, particularly in low-lying parts of the city and MMR region that are vulnerable to waterlogging during intense rain spells.
However, as of now, no civic authority has announced a holiday or directed educational institutions to suspend classes. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) and Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) have not issued any official notification regarding the closure of schools or colleges.
Meanwhile, residents across Mumbai woke up to widespread rainfall on Monday morning, marking the return of significant monsoon activity after a relatively dry spell. The renewed showers brought much-needed relief from the recent lull but also raised concerns about possible flooding and traffic disruptions if rainfall intensifies further. The temperature was a notch lower, but there was no recognizable change.
The IMD has forecast that weather conditions are likely to deteriorate from Tuesday onwards, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected in several parts of Mumbai and neighbouring districts. An orange alert has been issued for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar, indicating the possibility of severe weather that could affect normal daily life.
Earlier on Monday, the weather department had issued multiple yellow nowcast warnings for different parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan (MMR) Region. As rainfall activity increased during the day, those advisories were upgraded to orange nowcast warnings after forecasters predicted moderate to intense rain spells within a three-hour period.
Since the weekend, Mumbai has been witnessing intermittent showers of varying intensity. While rainfall remained moderate in most areas, meteorologists believe the monsoon system has strengthened once again, setting the stage for more widespread and heavier downpours over the next few days.
According to the IMD, rainfall is expected to become more intense from Tuesday, with isolated locations likely to receive heavy showers. The orange warning is expected to remain in effect until Wednesday morning, prompting authorities to closely monitor the evolving weather situation.
The revival of the southwest monsoon over Mumbai and adjoining districts follows a brief pause in rainfall earlier this month. Weather experts say the renewed monsoon activity is likely to bring sustained showers across the region, increasing the possibility of waterlogging in vulnerable areas and causing delays to road and rail transport.
While no decision has been taken regarding educational institutions, parents and students are advised to keep a close watch on official announcements issued by their respective schools and local civic authorities. Commuters have also been urged to exercise caution, particularly in flood-prone locations, as weather conditions may change rapidly.
For now, schools and colleges are expected to function as usual unless fresh advisories are issued by the concerned municipal corporations or district administrations in response to changing weather conditions. Authorities continue to monitor the rainfall situation and are expected to issue further updates if required.