The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared a holiday for all government, private and civic-run schools and colleges in Mumbai today, due to the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) 'orange' alert for heavy rain and gusty winds in the metropolis. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students. The BMC has urged citizens to venture outdoors only if necessary and advised them to contact its helpline 1916 in case of any emergency. The heavy rains have brought Mumbai and neighboring districts to a near standstill, with roads submerged, trees uprooted, and several incidents of wall and billboard collapses reported. The monsoon has been highly active over western India, with southwesterly winds loaded with moisture sweeping over the Western Ghats and delivering intense rains along the Konkan coast. In urban areas, rainfall intensity matters more than volume. The BMC has taken this decision as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students. The heavy rains have caused widespread destruction across India, claiming lives in Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, disrupting rail, road and air services, triggering flash floods and landslides in Jammu and Kashmir, and inundating towns in Odisha. The India Meteorological Department has issued an 'orange' alert for heavy rain and gusty winds in the metropolis, forcing the BMC to declare a holiday for all schools and colleges today.