Pune: Many schools in the city declared a holiday on Monday following incessant rain since Sunday evening. Waterlogging was reported from several areas, making it impossible for school buses, vans, and private vehicles to ply on roads. Several schools announced a holiday by posting notices on school apps. Some schools postponed scheduled exams. A few schools continued with their classes, and children who arrived late were allowed entry. In Hadapsar, most schools announced a holiday. “The sudden downpour slowed traffic across the city. To avoid inconvenience to students, many schools declared a holiday,” a local education official said. Several schools had scheduled examinations, which were either postponed or conducted late. A school in Undri informed parents through its app that school buses arrived late due to traffic congestion, which led to exams being conducted after a delay of 20–30 minutes. “Accordingly, dispersal was also delayed,” a principal of a school said. Meanwhile, a school in Baner declared a holiday but kept its daycare facility open till 5 pm to accommodate working parents. The school urged parents to pick up their children as early as possible. “Please arrange to pick up your child at the earliest, maximum by 5pm, as the safety of everyone is our top priority,” the advisory said. Parents heaved a sigh of relief as schools announced a holiday. “It’s better to miss one day of school rather than let children travel in such unsafe conditions,” said Neha Kulkarni, a parent from Hadapsar. Another parent, Amit Deshmukh, said, “Quick communication from the schools made planning our day much easier.” Teachers, too, welcomed the decisions taken by the school authorities. “We know how bad the traffic gets during heavy rain in Pune. Declaring a holiday was the most sensible step,” said a teacher from Baner.
