Cars submerged, businesses hit: Ballygunge residents suffer as south Kolkata remains flooded

Residents of Himadri Apartments on Ballygunge Park Road in Kolkata were stranded in their flats on Wednesday, with inundations in the building’s basement submerging vehicles even over 36 hours after Monday’s cloudburst flooded parts of the city, causing death and despair.   

The residents of this Ballygunge apartment were among several other Kolkatans who continued to grapple with flooding in the city since Tuesday morning. 

“The basement is completely under water. All our cars are submerged up to the roof. It will take at least two more days to clear,” said a resident of Himadri Apartments, pointing to submerged sedans and SUVs that now sit like wrecks in a muddy pond.

The official rainfall in Ballygunge was recorded at 126 mm, enough to choke drains and overwhelm KMC pumps. Ballygunge Phari and Mandaville Gardens remained stubbornly waterlogged on Wednesday despite efforts to pump out water.

On Tuesday evening, commuters at Ballygunge railway station trudged through knee-deep pools just to reach the platforms. Outside Belle Vue Clinic and across Rawdon Street, office-goers and nurses waded to work with trousers rolled up.

For businesses, the damage has been brutal. Subhasish Paul of Bubai Caterers said, “Our Maniktala residence and cloud kitchen are destroyed. Three cars — a Winger, a Fronx and a Maruti Cargo Van — are gone. We had to tow them. Deliveries have stopped because our underground tanks are filled with sewage. There is no clean water. KMC didn’t respond, Bisleri and Kinley said they are out of stock. We are desper

Paul’s outlet, Petuk Bangali, near Vivekananda Park, opened on Wednesday with a stripped-down menu.

In Bhawanipore, water receded faster but not without scars. “We were open yesterday, but barely anyone came. Luckily we got supplies, except fish. Swiggy and Zomato kept Charcoal Kebaberie offline. Today we are back, but my Grand Vitara, Brezza and i20 all had to be towed,” said Pukhraj Singh Jawanda of Green Palace Bar and RestaurA mother 

Across the city, the scenes were haunting. Shopkeepers at Gariahat swept out dirty water, while in Patuli and Kasba bikers and rickshaw-pullers pedalled through brown puddles. Families carried children in their arms, hoisted suitcases on their heads and pushed cycles through stagnant stretches in Ballygunge and Patuli.

For many, the ordeal feels endless. “The cars may be lost, the water may take two more days, but we have no choice except to wait,” said the Himadri Apartments resident, their words carrying the despair of an entire neighbourhood still drowning.