Durga Puja preparations in Kolkata ran into rough weather on Tuesday as heavy overnight downpour inundated parts of the city, disrupting daily life and crippling transport system.
With pandal lighting still in progress and schools wrapping up half-yearly exams before the festive break, waterlogging, power cuts and Metro suspension left residents grappling with a day of chaos. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the rainfall to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal.
Schools cancel exams, parents caught off guard
Several schools had to cancel their half-yearly examinations at the last minute. Parents complained of receiving late-night or early-morning messages. Abhijit Roy, a Behala resident whose daughter studies in class VII at an English-medium school in Khidderpore, said, “My daughter had her exam today. The school notified us at 5am that it was cancelled. The rescheduled date is yet to be announced. It is a rainy day.”
Risk of electrocution near Puja pandals
The city’s festive spirit also dimmed under the looming threat of electrocution. In Tollygunge, residents urged Puja committees to ensure proper insulation of lighting wires. “Lighting isn’t completed in our locality. There is a big risk if wires are left open,” said Bhupen Gopal Dutta. At least three deaths due to electrocution have already been reported in Kolkata. Around Ballygunge Circular Road, residents remained without electricity since 2am after a man died of electrocution.
Metro services suspended, roads submerged
Metro services were suspended between Shahid Khudiram and Maidan stations after tracks between Mahanayak Uttam Kumar and Rabindra Sarobar were inundated. Truncated services ran between Dakshineswar and Maidan as staff pumped water out of the section. In Alipore, several stretches were shut for safety as half the city’s roads remained submerged. An app cab driver described the extent of waterlogging near Howrah, “Entire Howrah was waterlogged. Water had risen till windscreens near the high court. I even lost my number plate to the rain.”
Cab fares skyrocket, commuters stranded
The collapse of public transport forced many commuters to rely on app-based cabs, but fares doubled and even tripled in parts of the city. The fare for a 15km ride, which usually costs Rs 300-400 during office hours, shot up to Rs 1,000. Cancellations by drivers were frequent, with many unwilling to risk narrow, waterlogged lanes. Mainak Dutta, a sales professional, said, “I kept checking fares to get to my office in Dalhousie, but cabs kept cancelling. Finally, I gave up and informed my manager that I would work from home.”
IMD forecast
IMD said the heavy rain was triggered by a low-pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining coastal parts of Bengal and Odisha. With Durga Puja just days away, showers are likely to continue over south Bengal districts, raising concerns of more disruptions in the run-up to the festival.
