Gandhinagar, July 30 — Educational institutions across several districts of Gujarat will remain closed on Friday, after authorities announced precautionary holidays in response to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across the state.

The IMD has issued a 'Red Alert' for Ahmedabad and several districts in central and south Gujarat, forecasting widespread intense rainfall over the next few days due to the combined influence of a deep depression, an active monsoon trough, a shear zone, a western disturbance and an offshore trough.

Authorities said the closures have been ordered to ensure the safety of students, teachers and staff.

In Ahmedabad, all government, grant-in-aid and private primary, secondary and higher secondary schools, as well as colleges, will remain closed on July 31 following directions issued by the District Collector through the District Education Officer's office.

The Ahmedabad district administration said one National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and two State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed at Dholka, Bavla and Sanand to respond to any emergency.

District Collector and District Magistrate officials appealed to residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel during the period of heavy rainfall.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has also announced that all AMC-run anganwadis will remain closed until August 3 as a precautionary measure.

In a separate advisory, the AMC prohibited public entry to all lakes and gardens in the city for the next two days and urged residents to comply with the restrictions.

In neighboring Gandhinagar district, all anganwadis, government, grant-in-aid, and self-financed primary and secondary schools, colleges, and other educational institutions will remain closed on July 31 after the IMD forecast moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.

The district administration also urged residents to avoid venturing out unnecessarily, stay away from electric poles and refrain from standing beneath trees during lightning.

Vadodara district has declared a holiday for all anganwadis, primary, secondary and higher secondary schools, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), colleges, coaching classes and polytechnic institutes on Friday.

District Collector Dr Anil Dhameliya said heavy rainfall accompanied by winds of 45 to 55 kmph is expected from late Thursday night through Friday as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensifies.

The district administration said evacuation arrangements were in place and the District Disaster Management Authority, control rooms, NDRF, SDRF and other emergency response agencies had been placed on high alert.

Similar precautionary closures have been announced elsewhere in the state.

Bharuch district has ordered all government, grant-in-aid, non-granted, CBSE and ICSE schools, ITIs and colleges to remain closed on Friday.

The district administration said a 24-hour control room and helpline were operational, while NDRF and SDRF teams and rescue boats had been deployed.

Authorities are also continuously monitoring water levels in the Narmada River, Sardar Sarovar Dam and Golden Bridge. Surat has declared a holiday for schools, anganwadis, colleges and ITIs across both urban and rural areas, with the closure applying to students as well as staff members.

The Narmada district administration has ordered the closure of anganwadis, schools, ITIs and colleges under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, after the IMD issued a Red Alert for extremely heavy rainfall.

District administrations in Navsari, Tapi and Dang have also announced holidays for educational institutions on July 31.

In Anand district, Sardar Patel University has postponed all examinations scheduled for July 31, including On Demand, B.O.Th and BHMS examinations, following directions issued by the District Magistrate.

The university said revised examination dates would be announced separately.

Meanwhile, Kheda district held a preparedness review chaired by Collector N. V. Upadhyay, who directed officials to keep manpower, equipment and all resources ready in flood-prone areas and said the district administration was fully prepared to deal with any potential disaster.

The state administration has stepped up preparedness measures across Gujarat. Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Singh Malik chaired a video conference directing all city, district and range police chiefs to remain on alert.

Police have coordinated with NDRF and SDRF teams for relief and rescue operations, prepared joint evacuation plans for residents and livestock in low-lying areas, and deployed personnel on national and state highways for traffic management.

The Animal Husbandry Department has also issued guidelines advising livestock owners not to tether animals during floods or storms and to use the 1962 helpline if assistance is required.

The IMD has issued Red Alerts for Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Anand, Bharuch, Narmada, Surat, Tapi, Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Botad, Jamnagar, Chhota Udepur, Daman and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea for the next two days as rough weather conditions are expected to persist.

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