Kolkata has recorded its heaviest rainfall in nearly four decades, leaving the city waterlogged and paralysed as Durga Puja approaches. The wet spell, which began Monday night, is expected to persist until September 25, raising fears of further disruption to daily life and festive preparations.

Heaviest Rain in 40 Years

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 251.4 mm of rainfall in just 24 hours till Tuesday morning, marking the sixth-highest single-day downpour in 137 years. Southern and eastern neighbourhoods bore the worst impact, with Garia logging 332 mm and Jodhpur Park 285 mm of rain. Localities such as Park Circus, Kankurgachi, and Behala were left submerged under knee-to-waist-deep water.

Chaos in Markets and Puja Preparations

The torrential downpour coincided with the peak pre-Puja shopping period, dealing a severe blow to local markets. Commercial hubs, including New Market, Gariahat, Hatibagan, Burrabazar, and College Street, were either shut or inaccessible. Stocks of garments, books, footwear, and household items were damaged, leaving traders and hawkers counting heavy losses.

Durga Puja preparations also took a hit. Pandal organisers in Salt Lake, Ultadanga, and Dum Dum scrambled to protect idols and bamboo structures with tarpaulin covers. In Kumartuli, artisans rushed to repair water-damaged clay idols, trying to salvage weeks of work.

Public Transport Hit Hard

Kolkata’s transport infrastructure was thrown into disarray. Metro services on the Blue Line were suspended on waterlogged stretches, while several trains from Sealdah faced delays or cancellations. App-cab availability plummeted, and fares spiked to almost six times the normal rates. Buses and auto-rickshaws struggled to operate on flooded arterial roads such as EM Bypass, AJC Bose Road, and Central Avenue.

At the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, more than 90 flights were cancelled and dozens delayed, with at least one flight diverted on Tuesday.

Civic and State Response

Despite pumping operations, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation admitted that relief would take time as swollen canals and rivers continued draining water back into the city. Mayor Firhad Hakim said improvement was expected only after the next low tide.

In response to the crisis, the state government ordered all schools and colleges to remain closed on September 24 and 25. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the rainfall “unprecedented” and offered condolences to families of those who lost their lives due to electrocution in waterlogged areas. She announced that one member of each victim’s family would receive a government job. Banerjee also demanded an explanation from the private power utility over safety lapses.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister cancelled her in-person inaugurations of Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata, opting instead for virtual events from her residence.

IMD Forecast: More Rain Likely

Meteorologists attributed the extreme rainfall to a low-pressure system over Gangetic West Bengal, adjoining north Odisha, and the Bay of Bengal. Another system is expected to form on September 25 and may cross the south Odisha–north Andhra Pradesh coast by September 27.

The IMD has forecast widespread light to moderate rain with isolated heavy showers over south Bengal, including Kolkata, for the rest of the week. Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the north Bay of Bengal due to squally conditions.

On Tuesday, the city’s maximum temperature was 28.4°C, 4.1 degrees below normal, with a minimum of 25.6°C. The IMD expects Kolkata to experience generally cloudy skies with more showers till September 24, keeping the festive spirit under a gloomy shadow.

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