Mumbai: Students and teachers faced a tough deal commuting and reaching on time to schools and colleges due to the heavy rainfall on Monday. Schools and colleges remained open as the state did not declare a holiday.
The ongoing admission process was affected as delay of trains and buses deterred students visiting degree colleges to check availability of seats. Due to delay in commuting, students and teachers claimed they could not reach for lectures on time.
Ranjan Shetty, a student, said, “I was travelling on the western line from Borivali to Mahalaxmi railway station. It took me over two hours to reach as trains were delayed by 45 minutes. I could not reach for my lectures despite leaving early.” Teachers claimed they found it difficult to find auto rickshaws and buses in western suburban areas. Nandini Mishra, a teacher, said, “Both the Malad subway and Andheri subway were shut for some time due to the rains which led to traffic congestion. There was waterlogging and auto drivers refused to commute.”
In addition, students who are still striving for admissions to degree colleges could not visit colleges to check for waitlist admissions. Madhuri Phadke, a student, said, “Admissions to degree colleges are completed but some of us have been kept on the waitlist. We have to visit colleges every day in order to check if we have been allotted seats.” Wasim Vora, another student, said, “We could not visit colleges to check the merit list as it was difficult to travel in the rains.”
Parents claimed they were hoping the state would declare a holiday for schools and colleges. Akansha Desai, a parent, said, “We faced a bit of difficulty while reaching our students to school. These early showers affected roads and modes of transport and we were hoping the state would declare a holiday.”
The state did not declare a holiday for school and colleges. A senior officer of the education department said, “The admission process to degree colleges is already completed as per the schedule. While, ongoing admissions to the First Year Junior College (FYJC) are online and students do not have to travel to colleges for it.”
