Bengaluru rains: Schools to remain closed, work-from-home for IT firms on Oct 23 amid orange alert

Increased cases of flooding have been reported in the city's outskirts, including the IT-BT corridor. Many tech professionals have reported being stranded at their workplaces or while commuting.
NDRF personnel carry a boy with a plaster cast on his arm as they conduct rescue operations after floodwater entered the Kendriya Vihar apartment following heavy rain, in Bengaluru.
NDRF personnel carry a boy with a plaster cast on his arm as they conduct rescue operations after floodwater entered the Kendriya Vihar apartment following heavy rain, in Bengaluru.Photo | PTI
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BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Urban district administration has declared holiday for schools on Wednesday in view of the heavy rains in the district.

In a statement, the Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban Jagadish G as said the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure and in the interest of students. However, all the colleges and ITIs will function as usual.

This is the third time in two weeks the district administration has issued orders to close schools due to heavy rainfall warnings. The orders, issued on Tuesday, followed an orange alert from IMD for the next 24 hours in the city.

Jagadeesha said that the rain and flooding situation is being monitored daily, with directions being issued accordingly.

Earlier, schools were closed from October 15 to October 16, a period that included the government holiday for Valmiki Jayanti.

A second set of orders was issued on October 21, early in the morning, citing heavy downpours. However, since the orders were issued late, many schools continued operations.

This time, the closure orders were issued in advance due to the anticipated heavy rainfall.

Officials in the DC's office noted that this is the first instance of multiple closure orders being issued within such a short span.

Meanwhile, increased cases of flooding have been reported in the city's outskirts, including the IT-BT corridor. Many tech professionals have reported being stranded at their workplaces or while commuting. In response, several companies have advised employees to work from home.

IT-BT Minister Issues Work-From-Home Advisory

In light of the heavy rainfall and the IMD's orange alert, IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge has advised companies to allow employees to work from home.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, he said that a similar advisory was issued last week. Kharge remarked that it is unusual for densely populated Bengaluru to receive such frequent weather alerts from the IMD, and such warnings have not been issued in recent years with such regularity. The advisory aims to prioritise the safety of citizens.

Three dead in building collapse due to Bengaluru rains

 A building under construction collapsed in north Bengaluru's Babusapalya on Tuesday, leaving three people dead. The incident occurred around 4pm, amidst the ongoing heavy rainfall in most parts of the city. As per preliminary information, three people have been rescued.

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