Salt Lake battles heavy waterlogging as 50% water pumps suffer malfunction

Continuous rainfall throughout Monday night, triggered by a low-pressure system, led to widespread waterlogging in Kolkata and Bidhannagar. Water levels ranged from knee to waist height in several areas, severely affecting road connectivity. Multiple lanes, including those leading to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, were submerged, resulting in major traffic congestion and delays for commuters and passengers.

In Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation's Ward 7, the Kaikhali area witnessed the worst flooding. Both the city-bound and airport-bound lanes were waterlogged, causing a two-way traffic jam. In Wards 35 and 36, particularly in Sukanta Nagar, residents were seen navigating through waterlogged lanes. The municipal corporation deployed 12 pumps to drain the water, but 6 of them were not functional at the time.

Efforts were made to drain water using the remaining 6 operational pumps. Local drainage systems struggled to cope with the accumulated rainwater. There were no immediate updates on the restoration of faulty pumps. Water removal work continued in affected lanes, with residents in several areas experiencing difficulty in leaving their homes due to the flooding.