Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced an immediate revision of operational timings for all state government offices and schools in response to a severe and escalating heatwave sweeping across the region. Under the newly mandated schedule, which officially takes effect on Monday, May 25, 2026, both educational institutions and administrative offices will operate simultaneously from 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The urgent precautionary measures come as parts of the state experience extreme daytime temperatures nearing 47 degrees Celsius, threatening the health and safety of students, daily commuters, and public sector employees alike.
The sweeping policy adjustment is designed to significantly reduce public exposure to peak afternoon ultraviolet radiation and the intense “loo” winds that typically peak after midday. Chief Minister Mann communicated the administration’s decision via a social media announcement, emphasizing that safeguarding public health and ensuring the well-being of young school children remain the top priorities for the state government. The single-session format will apply universally across all primary and secondary grade classes within government-run schools, providing relief to rural families and staff who frequently encounter long, exposed commutes during the hottest hours of the day.
The dynamic intervention by the Chief Minister aligns with recent logistical demands from local academic unions, including the Democratic Teachers Front, which had actively appealed for compressed morning hours as classroom temperatures climbed during recent local power outages. State meteorologists note that the adjusted hours will also double as a critical resource-management tactic, mirroring a successful structural experiment pioneered by the Aam Aadmi Party administration during previous summers to ease strain on the regional electrical grid. According to the state directive, these synchronized early-morning shifts will remain strictly enforced across all administrative departments and school districts until seasonal monsoon activity arrives to offer sustained climatic relief.
