West Bengal govt declares Puja vacations in schools two days ahead of schedule due to heavy rains

Kolkata: Faced with a near breakdown of public life in the wake of an unprecedented overnight rains in recent memory in Kolkata and other south Bengal districts, the West Bengal government on Tuesday declared Puja holidays in state-run educational institutions two days ahead of schedule.

Following up on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to stay off waterlogged roads to prevent accidents by electrocution and instructing holidays in schools or shift to online classes, state education minister Bratya Basu announced that all government-run education institutions would remain closed on September 24 and 25.

"An unprecedented calamity-like situation prevails in the state. In keeping with the advice of the chief minister to offer relief to our students in the current situation and to pre-empt accidents, it has been decided to keep all education institutions closed tomorrow and the day after, that is, on September 24 and 25," Basu wrote on X.

It is requested that during this calamity, all teachers and non-teaching staff attached to the education sector should work from home to complete their urgent and unfinished tasks, he said.

"Since the Durga Puja holidays are scheduled to start from September 26, effectively the vacation will start from tomorrow (Wednesday). I wish all happy Pujas. My deepest condolences remain with the next of kin of my fellow citizens who lost their lives in this calamity," the minister added.

Normal life in Kolkata and its surrounding areas came to a near standstill on Tuesday as very heavy overnight rainfall triggered widespread flooding, bringing traffic, public transport, and daily activity to a grinding halt.

At least seven people died due to electrocution in the city.

Some parts of the city received over 330 mm of rains within a few hours, with precipitation averaging more than 250 mm in most parts of the city and its suburbs.