Delhi schools, colleges to reopen from Nov 29: Minister Gopal Rai

Schools and colleges in the national capital will reopen on November 29, environment minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday. Schools in the city have been closed since November 13 due to high pollution levels. On November 17, the Delhi government had extended the suspension of in-person classes till further orders.

In a press conference, the environment minister said that the decision to reopen schools has been taken as the air quality in Delhi has improved. “Schools, colleges, libraries and other educational institutes will reopen on Monday,” the minister said and added that government offices that were operating in work-from-home mode can start working from office.

In the press briefing, he has urged the employees of the government offices to make use of public transportation as much as possible. 

As per official data, on Tuesday, the air quality in Delhi recorded an average of 290 in AQI, which was the best since November 1. But the air quality is still in “poor” category.  Officials at the India Meteorological Department have said that winds gusting up to 20 kmph on Sunday and 25 kmph on Monday led to a marked improvement in the air quality and visibility.

A group of 140 parents in the national capital had written to lieutenant governor Anil Baijal seeking his intervention for reopening of schools, PTI had reported.