After heavy overnight rain left Kolkata crippled on Tuesday, politics has started over the issue with Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, blaming the city authorities for “gross inefficiency”.
A number of areas in Kolkata as well as its adjoining locations were left underwater post heavy overnight downpour. As per reports, at least seven people have lost their lives in the city due to electrocution. All seven died after coming in contact with live wires in different flooded localities.
“With just one night’s rain, Kolkata-Salt Lake is submerged! The city is flooded, residents are in distress, and office commuters face extreme hardship. In an era when technology is so advanced that we can predict when it will rain and how much, the inefficiency and indifference of the mayors of Kolkata and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporations force the city’s residents to bear the consequences,” Adhikari posted on social media Tuesday morning.
The BJP leader said the Kolkata municipal authorities had failed to learn their lessons from past waterlogging incidents. He also slammed the state electricity department over electrocution deaths, stating: “This failure is catastrophic. Why were exposed wires not secured in time? Seven innocent lives have already been lost. This is not just negligence — it is a crime, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Kolkata received abnormal rainfall last night, causing waterlogging in several parts of our city. We at @kmc_kolkata are closely monitoring the situation to ensure a swift and effective response. All emergency services are on high alert and KMC’s Control Room is fully operational… pic.x.com/ENAGAiq825
— FIRHAD HAKIM (@FirhadHakim) September 23, 2025
The ruling Trinamool Congress slammed the opposition BJP for seeking to politicise the issue of rains in Kolkata, saying it condemns the move. Party leader and state minister Shashi Panja said the state CM, Mamata Banerjee and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation were working to bring the situation back to normal.
“There is waterlogging in some parts of Kolkata and some people have lost their lives as well. Kolkata Municipal Corporation is doing its work. CM Mamata Banerjee is taking all possible steps to overcome this situation. BJP is just opposing the state government on social media. When there was waterlogging in Delhi and Gurugram, there was no action from the BJP. Today, they are speaking a lot about the situation in Kolkata. We condemn politicisation of such an issue…,” Panja said.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim has issued an appeal asking people to stay indoors for the rest of the day due to heavy waterlogging across the city. The mayor said the situation would normalise in at least 12 to 14 hours if no further rain occurs.
The over 300 mm of incessant rain led to disruption in electricity as well as internet services in most parts of Kolkata and its suburbs. When the reports last came in, these services had been restored.
Traffic update:-#Kolkatatrafficupdate pic.x.com/8YOaywqBzD
— Kolkata Traffic Police (@KPTrafficDept) September 23, 2025
The waterlogging also affected many Durga Puja pandals across the state capital, causing great inconvenience to puja organisers.
Further, water also entered houses and residential complexes in many localities.
UNI reported that the University of Calcutta has postponed all examinations scheduled for today due to the heavy rainfall.
Road, train, air traffic impacted
The incessant rain and consequent waterlogging disrupted vehicular movement across the city and also affected train and air traffic. The Eastern Railway said Howrah station yard, Sealdah South station yard, Chitpur North Cabin, and different car sheds were inundated.
“Water has logged on the Railway lines of the Howrah & Sealdah Divisions. Water pumps have been deployed at several places to pump out the logged water, but as the water from the adjacent civil area is also logged with water, the water is flowing back to the Railway yard, which is causing more difficulties,” the ER said in a release. “Due to this, some suburban trains have been short-terminated & short-originated this morning and also a service plan has been made to suit the emergency situation,” it added.
Hazarduari Express (13113) and Sealdah Jangipur Express (13177) trains were cancelled, while train movement was suspended in the Sealdah South section and on the Circular Railway line.
The heavy rainfall severely affected operations at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, with officials saying bad weather led to the cancellation of 30 flights and caused delays to 42 others.
Airlines also issued travel advisories for their passengers, saying heavy rainfall in the city had affected several routes.
#WATCH | West Bengal: Fire breaks out in a shop in the flooded streets of Mandeville Gardens in Gariahat area of Kolkata. Firefighting operations are underway.
State Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim has also reached the spot.
(Video: Firhad Hakim social media) pic.x.com/MhmSBsfjle
— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2025
Kolkata: More rain forecast
The outlook for the city, however, remains grim as the Met department has warned of further rain in Kolkata and south Bengal districts due to the low-pressure area that has formed in the Bay of Bengal. The city is expected to receive more heavy rain over the next few days.
According to the weather department, another low-pressure area could form on September 25, triggering further woes during the annual Durga Puja festivities.
“The low-pressure area formed over the northeast Bay of Bengal and its vicinity intensified on Monday morning. Along with this, there is a cyclonic circulation which extends up to about 5.8 km above sea level and is located in the same place. The system will move towards the northwest Bay of Bengal in the next 24 hours. Due to its influence, several areas adjacent to South 24 Parganas district and Kolkata have been witnessing heavy rain.
“Due to that low pressure area, a cloudburst occurred in Kolkata which wrecked havoc since last night. Rain will continue to occur throughout the day and tomorrow as well,” an official of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata’s Alipore was reported as saying by IANS.