Schools in Mumbai Metropolitan Region to remain shut tomorrow as IMD issues orange alert for heavy rain
Mumbai, July 5
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Sunday announced that all government, private and civic body-run schools and colleges in Mumbai will remain closed on July 6 after the India Meteorological Department issued an 'orange alert' forecasting heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds.
The BMC said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students in view of the weather forecast.
In a statement, the BMC said, "In view of this forecast and keeping the safety of students in mind, a holiday has been declared on Monday, July 6, 2026, for all government, private, and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools and colleges in Mumbai."
The BMC, however, clarified that government and private offices will function as usual.
Thane District Collector Shrikrishnath Panchal also announced that the Anganwadis, Balwadis, primary schools, and secondary schools will remain shut in the district tomorrow.
Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) also announced the closing of all schools on Monday for the safety of students amid incessant rain. Navi Mumbai Mayor Sujata Patil and NMMC Commissioner Kailas Shinde appealed to citizens not to step out of their homes unless absolutely necessary.
In a post on X, the NMMC wrote, "Keeping in mind the possibility of heavy rainfall, all schools have been declared closed tomorrow, Monday, July 6, for the safety of students."
"It is observed that the incidence of trees falling due to gusty winds has increased. Accordingly, all Navi Mumbai citizens are requested not to stand under trees and not to park their vehicles under trees. Buildings that have been declared hazardous by the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation or are in a hazardous condition should be vacated immediately to avoid potential accidents. Keeping in mind the possibility of heavy rainfall, all schools have been declared closed tomorrow, Monday, July 6, for the safety of students," the NMMC announced.
According to the IMD, Mumbai is likely to witness heavy rainfall along with strong winds on Monday, prompting the civic administration to announce the closure of educational institutions across the city.
Meanwhile, Mumbai continued to receive intense rainfall throughout the day, with the BMC stating that the city recorded more than 265 mm of rain, while the suburbs received over 227 mm in the 24-hour period ending at 6 pm on July 5.
According to the district administration's daily situation report, Gaganbawda recorded the highest rainfall at 143.1 mm, followed by Bhudargad (85.9 mm), Radhanagari (81 mm), Ajra (67.6 mm), Chandgad (65.3 mm), Kagal (60.2 mm), Panhala (58.3 mm), Shahuwadi (46.9 mm), Gadhinglaj (43.4 mm), Karveer (40.1 mm), Hatkanangale (20.9 mm) and Shirol (16.8 mm).
The administration said rail traffic was operating normally and no rail services had been disrupted. National Highway traffic also remained unaffected.
However, heavy rainfall disrupted traffic on seven roads across the district, including two state highways, two major district roads, two village roads and one other district road. Authorities said the situation was under constant monitoring.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good decision but wish they had announced earlier. Many working parents like me had already left for office assuming schools would function as usual. Now scrambling to find someone to watch the kids. BMC needs better communication strategy for such alerts.
These orange alerts have become too frequent. Every time it rains moderately, schools shut down. Kids are losing almost 20-25 days annually due to such closures. Why can't authorities differentiate between genuinely dangerous weather and normal monsoon? My son's syllabus is already behind schedule.
As a teacher in Navi Mumbai, I appreciate this decision. Last week a tree fell near our school during heavy wind - thankfully it was after hours. The warning about not parking under trees is crucial too. Saw two cars crushed near Vashi station last monsoon. Safety over convenience any day! ☔
Typical BMC - closing schools but offices remain open. So parents still have to commute in this weather to reach workplaces, risking their lives. If it's unsafe for students, it's unsafe for everyone. Hypocrisy at its finest. Either declare a complete holiday or none at all. 🚗
Living in Thane, I remember the 2005 floods. We've come a long way in disaster preparedness. The Anganwadi and Balwadi closures are especially important - those little ones can't handle slippery roads. Kudos to district collector for including them. Now if only our drainage system could keep up with the rainfall...
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.