Schools, colleges and other educational institutions will reopen in Delhi from Monday, November 29. Delhi's Environment Minister Gopal Rai announced the decision after a review meeting with senior officials today, November 24.
The severe levels of pollution had led the government to shut down schools and colleges across the national capital a mere fortnight after they reopened for primary schools following a 20-month-long closure due to the pandemic. On Sunday, November 21, the government had announced that schools will be shut for at least another week in light of the continued poor air quality levels in Delhi. Following that announcement, about 140 parents had written to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal, demanding the reopening of educational institutions, citing the impact the closure was having on the education of the students.
Offices will also reopen on the same day and the Environment Minister has appealed to all government officials to use public transport that will be provided to them. He also added that only CNG and electric vehicles will be allowed to enter Delhi from November 27, barring those that are engaged in essential services. The ban on the entry of vehicles operating on other fuels will remain till December 3.
The Delhi government on Monday, November 24, lifted the ban on construction and demolition activities in view of an improvement in the air quality and inconvenience caused to workers. On November 13, the city government had ordered the closure of all educational institutes in Delhi due to high air pollution levels.
