Rain, parking crisis challenge Kolkata Police ahead of TMC’s 21 July Shahid Diwas rally | Watch

Preparations are underway for the Trinamool Congress’s Shahid Diwas rally, scheduled for 21 July in Kolkata. This year’s rally is significant as it will be the last before the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Thousands of party supporters from across the state are expected to attend the event. Stage construction began on Tuesday in front of Victoria House with the traditional Khuṇṭi Puja, attended by senior party leaders.

Kolkata Police and administrative officials are facing logistical challenges due to continuous rainfall and forecasts of more rain ahead. According to the meteorological department, light to moderate rainfall is expected on 21 July, with unstable weather and heavy showers predicted across Bengal over the next seven days. Several parts of Kolkata are already waterlogged, and the Maidan—the traditional parking zone for the rally—has become muddy and submerged in water.

The waterlogged Maidan has delayed the finalisation of parking arrangements for vehicles arriving from various districts. According to officials, if rainfall continues and 72 hours of dry weather are not available before the rally, it will not be possible to make the Maidan usable for vehicle parking. Kolkata Police’s traffic department is currently assessing alternate parking options on APC Road, Burrabazar, Posta, Ashutosh Mukherjee Road, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, and Jawaharlal Nehru Road.

The rally is scheduled for a Monday, which is a working day, making traffic management a priority. To reduce congestion, movement of goods vehicles will be restricted across the city from the night of 20 July. Police officials are working on detailed diversion and deployment plans to manage regular traffic and rally-related movement simultaneously.

A petition has been filed in the Kolkata High Court seeking assurance that the general public will not face inconvenience due to the rally. In response, the court stated that ensuring smooth public movement and convenience during the event would be the responsibility of the police and administration. Authorities continue to monitor weather conditions and ground status as preparations continue.