An exceptionally heavy spell of overnight rain has paralyzed Kolkata, leaving large parts of the city submerged, killing at least seven people through electrocution, and causing widespread disruption days before the Durga Puja festival. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has described the downpour as one of the heaviest in recent memory and warned that more showers are likely in the coming days due to a low-pressure system over the northeast Bay of Bengal.
The electrocution deaths were reported from Beniapukur, Khidderpore, Behala, Ballygunge, Netaji Nagar, and Garfa, where floodwaters submerged live wires and electrical installations. Officials said the deaths underline the urgent need for preventive power shutdowns in inundated areas. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the rainfall “unprecedented” and blamed failures in drainage and power infrastructure for the fatalities, urging civic bodies and utilities to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life.
Large sections of Kolkata were severely waterlogged on Tuesday morning, with major roads including AJC Bose Road, Central Avenue, and stretches of the EM Bypass submerged. Neighbourhoods such as Garia, Jodhpur Park, Kalighat, Topsia, and Thanthania witnessed knee-to-waist-deep water, forcing residents to wade through flooded streets. Civic agencies deployed pumps and cleaning units across the city, but residents complained that water levels had not receded by evening.
Transport infrastructure was hit hard, with the Kolkata Metro suspending services on stretches of the Blue Line between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations. Several long-distance and suburban trains were cancelled, diverted, or short-terminated as railway yards, tracks, and car sheds at Howrah and Sealdah were inundated. Air travel was also affected, with airlines issuing advisories about delays and cancellations. Road traffic in the city was thrown into chaos, as vehicles stalled in flooded underpasses and arterial roads, while public buses struggled to operate.
The state government ordered government-run schools to remain closed on September 24 and 25, while several private institutions followed suit, citing unsafe conditions for students. Exams scheduled for this week were postponed. Many offices witnessed thin attendance as employees either worked from home or remained stranded.
The timing of the rainfall has created fresh challenges for Durga Puja organizers, with pandal structures and decorations damaged in several parts of the city. Volunteers were seen attempting to drain water from makeshift structures, cover idols with tarpaulin sheets, and resume last-minute preparations amid growing uncertainty.
According to the IMD, the low-pressure system that triggered the record rainfall is expected to persist until September 26, bringing more showers to Kolkata as well as districts such as South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, Bankura, and Purba and Paschim Medinipur. Officials cautioned that the combination of thunderstorms and waterlogging could further disrupt essential services if rainfall continues at the same intensity.
The latest spell of rain has highlighted once again the city’s fragile drainage and disaster management systems. With Durga Puja set to begin shortly, the government and civic authorities are under pressure to restore normalcy, ensure safety measures in waterlogged areas, and minimize disruptions to one of Bengal’s most significant cultural events.
