Kolkata, September 23:
Just days before the start of Durga Puja — the most significant festival for Bengal — Kolkata woke up to widespread waterlogging, traffic chaos, and a somber mood as torrential rains battered the city overnight, claiming at least five lives due to electrocution and leaving entire neighbourhoods submerged.

As many prepare for a week of festivity and spiritual celebration, the city now faces a daunting clean-up operation, grieving families, and a looming fear of more rainfall in the days ahead.

Unprecedented Downpour Disrupts Daily Life

The city recorded one of its heaviest September rainfalls in years, with multiple weather stations noting rainfall over 250 mm within hours. Areas like Garia, Behala, Ballygunge, Topsia, and Jodhpur Park were among the worst affected, with visuals showing knee- to waist-deep water in several streets.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that the rainfall was triggered by a depression forming over the Bay of Bengal, which intensified late Sunday night and unleashed heavy showers till early Monday morning.

Officials noted that the volume of rain was far more than the city’s drainage infrastructure could handle in such a short time, leading to severe waterlogging across residential and commercial zones.

Lives Lost in the Floods

Tragedy struck in multiple localities as at least five individuals were electrocuted due to exposed or submerged electrical infrastructure.

In one incident, a 32-year-old man in the Tollygunge area was electrocuted after stepping into stagnant water near an open electric box. In another, two labourers at a construction site in Tangra were fatally shocked when their equipment made contact with a submerged live wire.

The city’s power supply agency, CESC, has since issued warnings urging residents not to step into flooded streets or touch lamp posts and transformers. Power was cut off temporarily in over 70 affected neighbourhoods to prevent further casualties.

Transport and Infrastructure Collapse

Kolkata’s transportation system came to a near standstill as flooded tracks and roads disrupted both road and rail traffic. Metro Rail services on several routes were suspended or severely delayed as rainwater seeped into underground stations like Park Street, Kalighat, and Esplanade.

Suburban trains in Howrah and Sealdah divisions were either cancelled or ran at reduced frequency. Roads across major thoroughfares — including the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, AJC Bose Road, and Park Circus connector — were jammed with vehicles stuck in waterlogged lanes.

Daily commuters were left stranded for hours, with many offices allowing work-from-home or late reporting due to the severity of the disruption.

Durga Puja Preparations Take a Hit

For hundreds of Puja committees across Kolkata, the downpour couldn’t have come at a worse time.

With just days left before Mahalaya — the official beginning of Durga Puja rituals — pandal construction, lighting installations, and idol painting are typically in their final stages. But the torrential rain flooded dozens of pandal sites, damaged décor materials, and delayed the finishing touches on many Durga idols in Kumartuli, the artisan district.

Organisers now face a race against time to recover lost work and weatherproof their venues.

“We’ve covered the pandal with waterproof sheets, but the floor is flooded. We’ll need pumps to clear it, and hope for no further rain,” said Subhajit Saha, member of a popular South Kolkata Puja committee.

Administrative Response and Rescue Measures

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), in collaboration with the Disaster Management Department, deployed over 100 portable pumps and dozens of relief teams to clear waterlogged roads and assist stranded residents. Emergency helplines received over 1,000 distress calls between 6 AM and 12 noon alone.

Mayor Firhad Hakim visited affected areas, assuring citizens that all steps were being taken to restore normalcy. “This was an extraordinary weather event. We’re working with all agencies to clear water quickly and avoid further tragedy,” he stated.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also remained on standby, particularly in low-lying areas around Garden Reach and Kasba, where water levels rose alarmingly.

Health, Safety, and the Risk Ahead

Alongside infrastructural damage, health concerns are also rising. The KMC has urged citizens to avoid contact with floodwaters due to the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera, leptospirosis, and dengue.

Medical camps are being set up in flooded zones, and water purification tablets have been distributed in vulnerable neighbourhoods.

Adding to the uncertainty, the IMD has warned of another spell of heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours. The Puja committees have been asked to ensure that temporary electrical wiring, lighting, and pandal structures are fully waterproof and compliant with safety norms.

A Festival in Peril? Not Quite

Despite the chaos, the resilient spirit of Kolkata is already on display. Neighbours were seen helping each other rescue submerged belongings, volunteers distributed food and dry clothing to stranded families, and many Puja organisers resumed work on their waterlogged venues by the evening.

“The rain may slow us, but it won’t stop us,” said Rupa Banerjee, a volunteer at a community puja in North Kolkata. “Durga Puja is more than a festival — it’s who we are. We’ll bounce back.”

Looking Ahead

With more rainfall predicted, Kolkata faces an urgent test of preparedness, coordination, and resilience. For a city that wears its cultural identity with pride, the timing of this natural setback is cruel — but also a reminder of the pressing need to build climate-resilient infrastructure.

As Durga Puja nears, the hope is that the city can weather both the literal and metaphorical storm — and rise, once more, in celebration.