A day after an unprecedented downpour, Kolkata is still struggling to get back on its feet, with large parts of the city remaining submerged. The torrential rain, the heaviest the city has seen in decades, has not only claimed 11 lives but also cast a shadow over the upcoming Durga Puja festivities, causing significant damage to intricate pandal artworks and leaving organizers in despair.
Waterlogging Persists, Paralyzing Daily Life
Despite civic authorities working through the night to pump out water from low-lying areas, residents in neighborhoods like Bidhannagar are still grappling with knee-deep water and gridlocked traffic. From the historic lanes of MG Road in the north to the residential pockets of Jodhpur Park in the south, the city’s streets resemble canals. Visuals from Ballygunge and Rabindra Sadan show people wading through the murky floodwaters, a stark picture of the city’s current plight.
Adding to the chaos, the power utility company, CESC, has proactively cut off electricity in several areas to ensure public safety and prevent further casualties from electrocution. In a statement on social media, the company explained that the measure was taken due to dangerously high water levels nearing junction boxes and meters. This has left nearly a lakh of customers in the dark in areas including Jadavpur, Ekbalpore, Dhakuria, and Ballygunge, among others.
A Major Setback for Durga Puja Preparations
The timing of the deluge could not have been worse for the people of Kolkata. With the Durga Puja festivities just around the corner, pandal organizers are facing a major setback. Many of the art installations and decorations, crafted with painstaking effort over months, have been severely damaged by the floodwaters.
The Forum for Durgotsab, an organization representing over 500 Durga Puja committees, reported that the last-minute preparations were in full swing before the rains hit. “A deluge at this point has come as a major setback,” said the general secretary of the forum. “Even though the water level has started receding, some pandals have been hit as the artwork has been damaged.”
At the Japta Jayshree Dum Dum club, a portion of the pandal was reportedly damaged just as organizers were preparing for the inaugural puja. The artworks, often made of materials like plywood, have been particularly susceptible to the rainwater.
Political Blame Game and a Call for Unity
In the wake of the crisis, a political war of words has erupted. The opposition, led by the BJP, has been quick to criticize the Trinamool Congress-led state government, blaming the city’s “extremely poor drainage system” for the widespread flooding. They have shared visuals of submerged pandals on social media, highlighting what they call a failure of civic governance.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged political parties to refrain from politicizing the disaster. She emphasized that the priority should be the safety and relief of the people, not political one-upmanship.
Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, while acknowledging the severe waterlogging, attributed the situation to a “misfortune” and the forces of nature, which he said, “we can’t fight.” He stated that the city’s pumping stations are working to their maximum capacity, and he hopes to get things back to normal within a day or two, provided there is no fresh rainfall. He also offered a glimmer of hope to the city’s residents, encouraging them to celebrate Durga Puja with joy once the water recedes.
The city, known for its resilience and indomitable spirit, is now in a race against time, not just to drain the floodwaters but also to salvage the festive spirit ahead of its biggest celebration.