Incessant rains leave many parts of city in knee-deep water

Kolkata and its adjoining suburbs are grappling with severe disruption as relentless heavy rainfall has led to widespread waterlogging across the city. Normal life has come to a grinding halt, with many areas submerged, making daily commutes a nightmare. The persistent downpour has caused significant inconvenience for residents, turning major thoroughfares and countless bylanes into veritable pools. The sheer volume of rain has overwhelmed the city's drainage systems, leading to scenes of vehicles struggling through submerged streets and pedestrians wading through knee-deep water.

According to the latest rainfall report from 2 AM to 9 AM, several parts of Kolkata received substantial precipitation. Jodhpur Park recorded an astonishing 195 mm of rainfall, highlighting the intensity of the downpour in certain pockets. Other severely affected areas include Maniktala (80 mm), Duttabagan (77 mm), Beerpara (78 mm), Marcus Square (68 mm), Ballygunge (66 mm), Mominpur (67 mm), Kalighat (63.6 mm), Topsia (63 mm), Ultadanga (69 mm), Kamdahari (63 mm), Palmer Bridge (78 mm), and Thanthania (79 mm). Even Kolkata Police Headquarters at Lalbazar saw water accumulation, indicating the widespread nature of the problem.

Beyond the immediate city limits, areas like Kakurgachi, Patipukur, and Ultadanga underpasses are heavily waterlogged, causing significant traffic bottlenecks. The situation is equally dire in parts of North and South Kolkata, where residents are facing considerable hardship. Localized areas such as Thanthania, College Street, parts of Bowbazar, Behala, Garden Reach, and Metiabruz have also reported extensive waterlogging, according to sources from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

The KMC has confirmed that efforts are underway to drain the accumulated water from these affected areas. However, due to the continuous nature of the rainfall, the process of water receding is slow. Adding to the challenge, the Ganges is experienced a high tide around 10:30 AM, at which point the city's drainage lock gates were closed. This will inevitably prolong the time it takes for the floodwaters to subside, further exacerbating the civic woes.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert regarding a low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal, accompanied by a cyclonic circulation. This weather system is poised to bring excessive rainfall across South Bengal for the next two days, suggesting that the current challenges may persist and even intensify.